VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a new population management initiative titled “Pillale Sampada” (Children as Wealth), aimed at addressing the State’s declining fertility rate and ensuring demographic balance for future economic stability.
Officials explained that the State’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen sharply from 2.10 in earlier decades to 1.50 today, well below the national average of 1.9.
This decline, they warned, could lead to severe workforce shortages and economic stagnation in the coming years.
District-wise data shows Kadapa recording the highest fertility rate at 1.99, while Visakhapatnam registered the lowest at 1.32. Eluru stood at 1.53. In contrast, northern states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan continue to report higher fertility levels.
The government, which introduced a draft Population Management Policy in the Assembly on March 5, now plans to hold wider consultations before statewide implementation. Unlike earlier family control campaigns, the new approach emphasises population growth. Proposals under consideration include financial incentives of Rs 30,000 for families having a third child and Rs 40,000 for a fourth child.
Officials pointed out that international experiences have influenced this policy shift. Countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Germany, once known for strict population control, are now facing demographic crises with shrinking youth populations and rising elderly dependency.
China’s one-child policy, for instance, has left the country struggling with reduced productivity and an ageing population.
Several nations have even resorted to offering free housing, jobs, and financial incentives to attract new residents.
In Andhra Pradesh, the coalition government believes that encouraging population growth is essential to secure future human resources, sustain economic progress, and maintain social balance.
The initiative marks a strategic departure from past family planning campaigns, which once promoted slogans like “one is enough, two is the limit.” Now, the emphasis is on reversing demographic decline to safeguard long-term development.
The government’s view is clear: “People are wealth, and they are the future.”
