Rs 25,000 to have a second child? Andhra considers incentive for parents

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said the state government is considering a Rs 25,000 birth incentive for couples from their second child onwards to boost the falling birth rate.

Addressing the Assembly, Naidu said the government aims to raise Andhra Pradesh's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) to 2.1 from the current 1.5, which is below the replacement level.

"We are looking at a novel method. We will give Rs 25,000 to parents having a second child or more at the time of delivery itself. This will be a big game-changer. If we can do it, it will be very useful," Naidu said.

Underscoring the importance of population management, the Chief Minister noted that several countries are facing challenges due to ageing populations.

He said the government plans to bring out a policy on population management by the end of March and implement it from April.

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