UP prepares population control bill draft, proposes incentives for those following two-child policy

Mangalore Today News Network

Lucknow, Jul 10, 2021: The Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission released the first draft of the proposed population control bill on Friday. The draft bill has provisions to debar people who have more than two children from the benefits of government schemes and perks to those who follow the two-child policy.

 

UP State Law Commission Chairman Justice AN Mittal told India Today TV that the bill proposes to bar the violators of the two-child policy from contesting local body elections or applying for government jobs. The bill also limits ration card units to four.

Government employees following the two-child policy will be eligible for incentives like two additional increments during entire service, subsidised purchase of plot or house, rebate on utility charges and three per cent increase in Employee Provident Fund (EPF) under the National Pension Scheme. Those with a single child will get four additional increments, free healthcare and education for their child till the age of 20.

For those who are not in government service but follow the two-child policy, the bill proposes to give them rebates on water and electricity bills, house tax, home loans. The bill also promotes vasectomy and sterilisation, Mittal said.

Mittal said the draft bill has been uploaded on the UP law commission’s official website and seeks suggestions from the public. The last date for submission of suggestions is July 19, 2021.Mittal also said there would be no relaxation in cases of polygamy and polyandry. "Those who are questioning this must know that the government can’t invest money of taxpayers on them with more than two children," Mittal said.

The draft bill was released two days before the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government is set to announce a new population policy for 2021-2030. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be releasing the policy on Sunday.

Following Assam’s line

Last month, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that his government would gradually implement a two-child policy for availing benefits under specific schemes funded by the state.

“Be it a loan waiver or any other government scheme, we will slowly implement a population policy for these schemes. The population norms will not be applicable to tea gardens, SC, ST communities, but will be imposed on all others availing benefits from the government in future because the population policy has already started in Assam,” CM Sarma had said.

Courtesy:India Today