Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu encourages families to have more children; cites state’s ageing population
On Sunday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stated that his government intends to enact law allowing only persons with two or more children to run for local body elections.
The Chief Minister also encouraged families to consider having more children, citing concern over the state’s ageing population and its long-term implications on the country’s demographic balance.
“The government is planning to bring in legislation to make only those with more than two children eligible to contest local body elections,” Naidu said on Saturday after restarting construction work at Amaravati, which had been halted by the previous government.
He explained that the decision is meant to motivate families to have additional children and secure a youthful, energetic population for the future.
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Naidu cautioned about increasing signs of ageing crisis in South India
The Chief Minister cautioned about the increasing indications of an ageing dilemma in South India, specifically in Andhra Pradesh, stating that although India will have a demographic advantage until 2047, the southern regions of the country were already starting to witness the consequences of an aging populace.
“Countries like Japan, China, and several European nations are facing the consequences of ageing populations, where a significant share of the population is elderly,” Naidu said.
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Naidu also mentioned the decreasing fertility rates in the southern state, which have decreased to 1.6 — significantly lower than the national average of 2.1. He raised alarm about the potential consequences of this decrease, cautioning that if the pattern persists, Andhra Pradesh might encounter a significant aging problem by 2047. He warned that we must take action immediately to prevent this future from happening.