VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who in recent times underlined the need for increasing population, has came up with bills removing the restrictions on those having more than two children to contest the local body elections.
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the bills to amend the AP Panchayat Raj and AP Municipal Acts. As per the amendments, individuals irrespective of the number of children they have, can contest the local body elections hereafter.
In fact, it was the Naidu government, which amended the Panchayat Raj and Municipal Administration Department Acts in 1994 to control the population by incorporating the ‘Two children norm’ to disqualify individuals with more than two children from contesting the local body elections.
Now, Naidu is of the firm opinion that population management is going to be an asset for the country in the years to come, and is advocating the same on different platforms.
Accordingly, the State government tabled the bills to amend the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1965, and the Municipal Corporation Act, 1955 to relax the two children norm.
While reviewing the population policy three decades after implementation of the two children norm, the government found that as per the National Family Health Survey, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) declined from 3.7 children in 1992-92 to 2.1 in 2019-21 in rural areas, and from 2.6 in 2001 to 1.5 in urban areas.
“As the declining fertility rates, population stabilisation and changing socio-economic conditions proved to be outdated and counterproductive, the government felt that repealing sections intended to control the population, will promote inclusive governance, reflect contemporary social values and align with global best practices and demographic trends,” the bills read.
Considering the decline of TFR, the government came up with the bills to amend the AP Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, the AP Municipalities Act, 1965 and the Municipal Corporation Act, 1955. Hence, individuals with more than two children will be eligible hereafter to contest the local body elections.