Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced that only people with more than two children would be allowed to contest local elections. Speaking at an event in Naravaripalle, he explained that this move aims to address the state's declining population growth. He also mentioned that new policies would be introduced to encourage families to have more children to reverse the trend of low birth rates.
Naidu said, “Earlier, people with many children were not allowed to run for panchayat or local body elections. Now, I am saying that only those with more than two children can contest. To become a sarpanch, municipal councillor, corporation chairman, or mayor, you must have more than two children.”
Naidu further expressed his concerns about the long-term effects of low birthrates, particularly in northern India. He predicted that the region could lose its demographic advantage of a stable fertility rate in about 15 years. Naidu pointed out that while older generations had larger families, the current trend shows families having fewer children, with some even choosing a “double income, no kids” lifestyle.
He noted, “Your parents had four to five children, but now you have reduced it to one. Even the smarter ones are saying, ‘double income, no kids, let’s enjoy.’ If their parents had thought like that, they wouldn’t have been born.”
Naidu also warned that many countries, including South Korea, Japan, and several European nations, failed to recognize the risks of a shrinking population, focusing instead on wealth creation and economic growth. Naidu cautioned that these nations are now facing a serious issue, as they lack a growing population to support their aging citizens.
“Now they need people, and we must send them. We have reached that point,” he said. Naidu has previously raised concerns about India's declining birth rates, urging the country to avoid the mistakes made by other nations that ignored population issues until it was too late.
Previously, in January, Naidu voiced concerns over India’s declining birth rates, pointing out that many couples are choosing not to have children because they prioritize enjoying their wealth and lifestyle. He said, “Some couples are avoiding having children these days because they don’t want to share the money they’ve earned and prefer to use it for their enjoyment.”
Naidu also marked that population management is vital for the future of Andhra Pradesh. In October, he warned that India could benefit from a demographic dividend with a younger population until 2047. After that, the ageing population could become a problem. He explained that if women have fewer than two children on average, the population will decline, but if each woman has more than two children, the population will grow.