World Population day is observed every year on July 11. The main aim of celebrating this day is to draw attention to the rising population issues across the globe. India has the world’s second-largest populace after China.

Uttar Pradesh (UP) is India’s most populous state with a population of around 220 million. To mark the day this year, UP’s Chief Minister has Yogi Adityanath has unveiled a new policy.

In his address, the chief minister said that the increasing population is the root cause of major problems like inequality. He also encouraged people to spread awareness about the problems arising out of an increasing population. Yogi said, “Increasing population can be a hurdle in way of development. Every community has been taken care of in Population Policy 2021-2030.”

He also said that population control has a direct connection with awareness among the masses and poverty. The health minister of the state, Jai Pratap Singh, said, “Uttar Pradesh is aiming for stability by 2050. With the new policy, the aim is to reduce population growth rate to 2.1 percent.”

In his statement, Yogi added, “Let us, on this ‘World Population Day, take a pledge to make ourselves and the society aware of the problems arising from the increasing population.” The new population policy for 2021-2030 aims to tackle a major issue in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the polls next year. The move is however receiving criticism from the opposition. They are calling it a “murder of democracy” in Uttar Pradesh.

A draft on the population control, prepared by the law commission of the state has been uploaded on the UP government’s website. Suggestions on the same will be entertained till July 19. If enacted, the provisions of the proposed legislation titled The Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization, and Welfare) Bill, 2021 will come into force after one year from the date of publication.

According to the new policy, people having more than two children in Uttar Pradesh will not be allowed to contest local bodies polls, applying for government jobs, or receiving any kind of subsidy. The provision of this legislation shall apply to a married couple where the boy is not less than 21 years of age and the girl is not less than 18.

The main provisions of the policy are listed below:

• It will increase the accessibility of contraceptive measures issued under the Family Planning Programme and provide a proper system for safe abortion.
• An effort to reduce the newborns’ and maternal mortality rate will be taken.
• Care of the elderly and better management of adolescents’ education, health, and nutrition between 11 to 19 years will be ensured.
• Employees who adhere to population control norms, and have two or fewer children will give promotions, increments, concessions in housing schemes, and other perks by the state government.
• Public servants who adopt the two-child norm will get two additional increments during the entire service, maternity or as the case may be, paternity leave of 12 months, with full salary and allowances and a three percent increase in the employer’s contribution fund under the National Pension Scheme.
• For non-governmental employees, the benefits like rebates in taxes on water, housing, home loans, etc. will be provided if they contribute towards keeping the population in check
• If the parent of a child opts for vasectomy, he/she will be eligible for free medical facilities till the age of 20.
• A state population fund will be set up to implement the measures.
• Population control will find its way to the textbooks as a compulsory subject in all secondary schools.

The bill stresses the point that basic amenities should be available to all. It reads, “It is necessary and urgent that the provision of necessities of human life including affordable food, safe drinking water, decent housing, access to quality education, economic/livelihood opportunities, power/electricity for domestic consumption, and a secure living is accessible to all citizens.”

The commission has however maintained that the policy will be voluntary – it will not be enforced upon anyone.