Have more babies, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu appeals to people of the state

In a country afflicted with a population explosion problem there is a state where childbirth rate reduction has begun to cause alarm that in the not-too-distant future, Andhra Pradesh may end up a state with an ageing population. If not checked right now, Andhra Pradesh will have a problem similar to the one that plagues China, Japan, the different European nations and may not be able to compete with efficiency in the world.

Pleading with the people to procreate more, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said  “At one time, I had called for observing family planning but I am now making an appeal to people to increase the population by producing more children.”

Making his apprehensions over the declining fertility rate in the state which has fallen to 1.5-1.7 per cent, Naidu called on the Andhrites to increase this rate to 2.1 per cent, which will be at par with the national fertility rate.

“Population in north India is growing but it’s declining in south India. You should keep this in mind,” Naidu said addressing a grama sabha at Vanapalli village in Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district.

“If we don’t think with foresight, the population will decrease. The ageing population will increase. If children are not born, who will we serve,” he asked.

If not addressed, this problem will cause Andhra Pradesh to become more like countries that have more older people as childbirth has stopped. “These countries have more ageing population. If they die, villages will become ghost villages,” Naidu said.

Because of ageing population, European countries, China and Japan are not in a position to compete in today’s competitive world.

Taking notice of this problem, the Andhra Pradesh government had earlier this month scrapped the two-child norm for contesting the panchayat elections. “I can’t say what will happen tomorrow or the day after. If one has no child or has just one child, he may be declared ineligible to contest,” he said in a lighter vein. Actually, people should now view having children as more of an asset rather than a burden.

The state Cabinet on August 7 decided to scrap the two-child norm for local body elections given the declining fertility rate in the state. It noted that while the national fertility rate is 2.1 per cent, the same in Andhra Pradesh is only 1.5 per cent. It was also noted the average male reproductive age in the state is 32.5 years which is likely to go up to 40 by 2047. Similarly, the female reproductive age in the state is now 29 years and this is expected to go up to 38 by 2047.

If not resolved, the problem will lead to a drastic fall in the number of people contributing to economic activity. At present Andhra Pradesh has an elderly population of 11 percent and this is projected to grow up to 19 percent by 2047.