Yogi unveils UP population policy, says it is based on facts and realities

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday unveiled the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilisation and Welfare) Act, 2021.

Speaking at the event, Adityanath said this was in response to the global concern that growing population is an impediment to progress.

The draft policy debars people with more than two children from contesting local body polls, applying for government jobs and receiving benefits. Violators will also be ineligible for promotions in government jobs and will be debarred from the benefits of government schemes. Ration distribution will be limited to four units.

Those public servants who comply with the policy and opt for voluntary sterilisation will receive two additional increments in their job tenure, subsidies on purchase of homes and plots sold by public units and rebate on facilities like electricity and water charges.

Such couples who are below the poverty line and undergo voluntary sterilisation after one child shall receive Rs 80,000 if the single child is a boy and Rs 1 lakh if the child is a girl.

Population control will also be introduced into the curriculum of secondary schools and upwards.

Exceptions to this policy include multiple births from the second pregnancy, adoption and disability of the first child.

In 2012, the state’s population was 20.42 crores.

“Our policy is based on facts and the realities of all different sections of society. This policy will be implemented by coordination between different departments such as health and education,” said Adityanath unveiling the policy at his official residence.

He also highlighted that population stabilisation was a key to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“This policy is not just about controlling the population but ensuring health and happiness to every citizen of the state,” he said.

A ‘UP Swasthya Kendra’ app—which will give real-time updates on availability of manpower, beds available, kinds and numbers of medicines available, services and so forth about the state’s 25,000 government health centres at different levels—was also launched. The app will also provide directions to people to access the health centre that best meets their need.

Adityanath said that people often complained about public health centres, without ever visiting one. “This app will enable to show the real-time status to such people,” he said.