UP govt likely to table population control bill in Monsoon session post 8500+ suggestions

The Uttar Pradesh Law Commission headed by Justice (retd.) AN Mittal has prepared a final draft of the population control bill, sources told Republic TV on Tuesday. Sources added that Mittal has sought time to meet UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in this regard. Until July 19, over 8500 suggestions and objections were received on the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021. Speculation is rife that the UP Cabinet will approve the bill and introduce it in the upcoming Monsoon session of the state legislature. This assumes significance as the Assembly election in UP is due early next year. 

UP's draft bill on population control 

While UP has embarked on this exercise, the Centre has made it clear that it is not mulling any such policy across India. The provisions of the aforesaid legislation will come into force only after one year from the date of publication in the Gazette. As per the bill, a public servant and a common person who adopts the two-child norm by undergoing voluntary sterilization operation upon himself or his house will be entitled to benefits such soft loan for constructing or buying a house at nominal interest rates, rebate on charges for utilities, maternity or paternity leave for 12 months with full salary and allowances, etc. 

Couples opting for a single child will get additional incentives such as free health care facilities and insurance for the child till the age of 20, free education up to graduation for the child along with a preference for admission in all educational institutions including IIMs and AIIMS, preference for the child in government jobs and scholarship for higher studies in case of a girl child. If they fall in the Below Poverty Line category, parents of a single child shall be paid Rs.80,000 and Rs.1,00,000 if the child is a boy and girl respectively. The bill also prescribes disincentives for those who violate the two-child policy.

They will be barred from receiving benefits of government-sponsored schemes, contesting an election to local bodies, applying to government jobs, getting promoted in government services and receiving any kind of government subsidy. The exceptions to the law include multiple births out of second pregnancy, adoption up to two children, disability of the first or second child, death of a child and so forth. Meanwhile, the UP government has been tasked to establish maternity centres at all primary health care centres, distribute and encourage the use of contraceptive pills and condoms and introduce population control in the school curriculum.