Gujarat indecisive on population control policies; says 'will study laws of other states'

The Gujarat government on Tuesday asserted that it will first study new laws introduced by other states on population control before taking any final decision in the matter. Having said that, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel in a conversation with the media, underlined that the state has already implemented a law that bars people with more than two children from contesting local body polls, such as taluka panchayat, district panchayat, municipalities, and municipal corporation. 

"In Gujarat, people with more than two children cannot contest local body polls. This shows that we have implemented this idea (of population control) many years ago. Moreover, we also run awareness campaigns to convince people to opt for family planning," Patel said.

His statement has come in reference to UP's Population Bill 2021, which has evoked a debate among the states.

What is UP's Population Bill 2021?

The UP Population Bill's draft lists incentives for government employees, the general public, and couples below the poverty line for adopting two-child or one-child policy via voluntary sterilization - which includes additional increments, house subsidies, rebates on utilities, paid 12-month maternity and paternity leave, free health care to spouse and increased employer's contribution to the national pension scheme - to name a few. The Bill also lists many disincentives for all such as debarring from benefits of govt-sponsored welfare schemes, ration card limits, contesting local body elections, etc. The Bill will not be applicable to those already having more than two children before the passage of the Bill.

Moreover, the Bill lists additional incentives for couples adopting a one-child policy like - two more increments during the entire services,  free health care facility and insurance coverage to the single child till it turns 20,  preference to a single child in admission in all educational institutions and govt jobs, free education up-to graduation level, scholarship for higher studies in case of a girl child. The Bill also tasks the govt with establishing maternity centers at all the primary health centers, availability of contraceptive pills, condoms, insurance for the failure of tubectomy or vasectomy, and encourage male participation in family planning. Exceptions to the law include - multiple births out of second pregnancy, adoption up to two children, disability of the first or second child, death of a child, and married couple expecting a third child during the implementation of the Bill.