No Govt Job for People With Over 2 Kids: UP's Proposed Population Law

People with more than 2 children won't be able to contest local body elections or benefit from government schemes.

The Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission released the first draft of the proposed Population (control, sterilisation & welfare) Bill 2021 on Friday, 9 July. The proposed bill, aimed at controlling the state’s population, comes about six months before the Assembly elections.

Suggestions and modifications have been sought from the general public within the next 10 days. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will release the population policy on World Population Day on 11 July.

WHAT IS THE POPULATION BILL?

In a bid to control the state’s population, the bill provides incentives for those who have two children or less. For those who have more than two children, there will be disincentives.

A number of provisions for government servants also extend to the general public adopting the two-child/single-child norm and undergoing voluntarily sterilisation.

UP State Law Commission Chairperson Justice AN Mittal said there would be no relaxation in cases of polygamy and polyandry, India Today reported.

Mittal was quoted as saying, "Those who are questioning this must know that the government can't invest money of taxpayers on them with more than two children."

THE FOLLOWING INCENTIVES WILL BE GIVEN:

A government employee undergoing voluntary sterilisation will get two additional increments during the entire service and will also be eligible for subsidy towards purchase of plot or house site.

• Moreover, he/she will get a soft loan for construction or purchase of house at nominal rates and rebate on charges for utilities such as water, electricity, and tax.

• Additionally, there will be a three percent increase in Employee Provident Fund (EPF) under the National Pension Scheme.

• The beneficiary will also be eligible for maternity/paternity leave for 12 months with full salary and allowances among other benefits.

If a government employee undergoes voluntary sterilisation after one child, the incentives shall increase, including free education up to graduation level for the single child and preference in government jobs. The draft bill also proposes a scholarship for higher studies in case of a girl child.

THE DISINCENTIVES

Those found in non-compliance of the two-child norm will be:

• Debarred from taking benefits of government schemes or receiving any kind of government subsidy

• Their ration cards would be limited to four units

• Cannot contest local body elections

• Barred from applying for government jobs

• Barred from promotions if they are public servants

To implement the revised state population policy, a State Population Fund will be created and mandatory registration of pregnancy, deliveries, birth and death across the state will also be ensured.