Population incentives reflect need for debate on low fertility rates: Nara Lokesh

Key points

• Incentives given to families in Andhra Pradesh at the birth of a third and a fourth child are an effort at population management, not mandatory by any means, and a way to draw attention to the State’s low and declining Total Fertility Rate (TFR), according to IT & Electronics and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh.
• Speaking at The Hindu “Mind” series of curated conversations in New Delhi, Mr.
• Lokesh said that a debate over demographic challenges was a necessity in current times.
• “Andhra Pradesh today is at a TFR of 1.5, below the replacement rate of 2.1. We are not mandating that families should have more children, but pointing out that it is important to have this conversation.
• As a State, we felt that this is the right way to create a mechanism where families that choose to have more children are supported by the State.