Andhra Pradesh has scrapped the AP Panchayat Raj Act and the AP Municipal Acts which barred people with more than two children from contesting local body polls.

• Andhra Pradesh is not the first state to roll back the two-child policy. 
• In 2005, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh also rescinded the policy.

Origin of the Two-Child Policy in Various States

• Ineffectiveness of Population Control Measures: Population control measures between the censuses of 1981 and 1991 failed to yield the desired results.
  • Intra-census data revealed India was not on track to control population growth.

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• Formation of a Panel by National Development Council (NDC): The National Development Council (NDC) established a committee chaired by then Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran.
• Recommendations of the Committee: The panel recommended that people with more than two children should not be allowed to hold government posts, from the panchayat level to Parliament. 
• Adoption by States: The committee’s recommendations were submitted to the NDC and subsequently implemented by various states.
• States That Implemented the Policy:
  • Rajasthan became the first state to adopt the “two-child policy” at the panchayat level in 1992, followed by Andhra Pradesh (then undivided) and Haryana in 1994.
  • Odisha (1993, extended to block panchayat level in 1994), Chhattisgarh (2000), Himachal Pradesh (2000), Madhya Pradesh (2000), Maharashtra (2003), Gujarat (2005), Bihar (2007), Assam (2017), Uttarakhand (2019), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2020).

Reasons for Rescinding Of the Two-Child Policy By Some States

• Decline in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB): The SRB declined to 880:1000 between 2003 and 2005, prompting concerns about the negative effects of the policy.
  • The steep drop in SRB was attributed to:
    • Strict two-child policy,
    • Widespread use of prenatal sex-detection technologies.
• Shift in National Population Policy (2000): The National Population Policy (2000) adopted a target-free approach and protection of reproductive rights, which conflicted with the earlier population control measures.
• Legal Challenges to the Policy: There were several individual litigations filed against the Constitutional validity of being forced out of participation in panchayat and local body elections.

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Reasons for Andhra Pradesh Rolling Back the Two-Child Policy

• Concern Over Ageing Population: As fertility rates decline, India is ageing, with one in five people expected to be over 60 by 2050. 
  • But the effect will be even more pronounced in the southern states.
  • As per the India Ageing Report 2023 prepared by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS):
    • The elderly population in Andhra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana is not only already high as compared to states in the North such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, 
    • but will also increase at a much higher rate between 2021 and 2036.
• Low Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Andhra Pradesh’s TFR is 1.5, much lower than the national average of 2.11.
• Delimitation Exercise: The upcoming population-based delimitation exercise in 2026 is also a key factor behind Andhra Pradesh’s decision to roll back the two-child policy.
• • There is a fear that the declining population in their states could lead to a reduction in parliamentary seats during the delimitation process.
  • Many Political party leaders from the Southern States are urging the Centre to avoid penalizing southern states for successfully implementing family planning and to allocate seats based on economic performance.

Status of India’s Population

• India’s Population: As of November 2024, India is the most populous country with over 1.45 billion people, accounting for around 17.77% of the global population, according to the World Population Review. 
• Youthful Population: As per the State of World Population (SOWP) report of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): As much as 68% of India’s population belongs to the 15-64 years category, and 26% in the 10-24 years group, making India one of the youngest countries in the world.
• India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) Achievement: The National Family Health 5 Survey (2019-21): India attained a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.0 for the first time, less than the replacement level of 2.1, falling from 2.2 in NFHS 4 (2015-16).

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Arguments for Population Stabilisation and Control In India

• Resource Management: India’s growing population places immense pressure on natural resources, such as water, land, and energy. 
  • Without proper management, this could lead to resource scarcity, negatively impacting agriculture, industry, and overall economic growth.

• Economic Sustainability: A rapidly growing population may outpace economic growth, hindering efforts to reduce poverty and improve living standards. 
• Health Improvements: Population stabilization is linked to improvements in public health.
  • It allows for better access to healthcare services, reduced maternal and child mortality rates, and the ability to allocate more resources toward healthcare infrastructure.
• Education and Employment: A younger population may initially provide a demographic dividend, but if job creation and education systems fail to keep pace, it can lead to unemployment and skill mismatches. 
  • Stabilizing population growth can help ensure that resources are invested effectively in education, skills development, and job creation.
• Environmental Protection: With a smaller, more manageable population, there can be more effective implementation of sustainable development practices, reducing the environmental footprint.

• Women’s Empowerment: Population control initiatives are often closely linked to improving women’s health, empowerment, and access to education. 
• Governance: A stabilizing population can lead to more effective governance and policy implementation. 
  • Overpopulation can strain public services, creating challenges for maintaining law and order, and ensuring adequate housing, transportation, and employment opportunities.

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Challenges For Population Stabilisation In India

• Cultural Resistance: Deep-rooted cultural norms, including son preference and larger family ideals, hinder smaller family adoption.
  • Example: The Economic Survey 2017-18 points out at Son Meta-Preference in the Indian Society. It is the phenomenon where parents continue to produce children until the desired number of sons are born.
• Limited Access to Family Planning: Inadequate healthcare infrastructure, lack of awareness and social stigma limit access to family planning, especially in rural areas .
  • Example: Low use of modern contraception
• Gender Inequality: Women often have limited control over reproductive choices which affects the family size decisions.
  • According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), just 10% of women in India are independently able to make decisions about their own health, 
• Economic Constraints: Implementing family planning and healthcare initiatives requires substantial investment, which may strain resources.

• Stablisation Issues: Southern states that have achieved population stabilization now face the issue of the elderly population outstripping the working-age population.
  • Example: Kerala has successfully implemented family planning programs, leading to a decline in its fertility rate, while states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar struggle with high fertility rates.
• Youth Demographics: A large proportion of India’s population is in the reproductive age group, making immediate stabilization efforts more challenging.

Measures Taken For Population Stabilisation In India

• National Family Planning Program: provides voluntary and informed choices to the beneficiaries through a target free approach with the objective of checking population increase in the country. 
  • Example: Mission ParivarVikas has been introduced for substantially increasing access to contraceptives and family planning services in seven high focus states having TFR of more than 3 namely Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Assam.
  • Scheme for Home Delivery of contraceptives by ASHAs at doorstep of beneficiaries
• National Rural Health Mission: Government of India has been implementing the National Rural Health Mission since 2005 in line with the policy framework of population stabilization as envisaged in NPP-2000, by helping to create a robust service delivery mechanism to address the unmet need for family planning.
• Prerna Strategy: Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh (JSK) has launched this strategy for helping to push up the age of marriage of girls and delay in first child and spacing in second child and the couple who adopt this strategy are awarded suitably. 
• Santushti Strategy: Under this strategy, Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh, invites private sector gynaecologists and vasectomy surgeons to conduct sterilization operations in Public Private Partnership mode. 
• National Family Planning Indemnity Scheme (NFPIS): under which clients are compensated in the eventualities of death, complication and failure following sterilisation operations. 

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Way Forward

• Promoting Female Empowerment and Education: Education and empowerment of women are crucial in reducing fertility rates. 
  • Example: The effective implementation of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme can help in empowering women to make their own choices especially reproductive choices.
• Improving Healthcare Infrastructure: The availability and quality of healthcare services, particularly in rural areas, are crucial for effective population stabilization.
  • Example: The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) could be leveraged for universal health coverage.
• Awareness through Campaigns: Campaigns should be designed to highlight the benefits of smaller families, such as improved economic conditions, better education for children, and healthier living standards. 
  • Example: The National Family Planning Program has utilised mass media to spread awareness about contraceptive methods and reproductive health.
• Incentivising Family Planning: Encouraging people to adopt small family norms through incentives such as tax benefits, priority in social welfare schemes, or cash rewards can be effective.
• Capitalising on India’s Demographic Dividend: India should invest in skilling its youth to capitalise on its demographic dividend. 
  • By providing skilled workers to countries facing labor shortages, India can strengthen its global position.

Conclusion

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-V reports a drop in India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) to 2.0, signaling a potential for slowing population growth. However, our population policy should keep in mind the larger consequences of zero population growth.

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