Patna: Taking a jibe at the new population control policy of the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that it is not possible to ensure population control with the law but if women are educated then the fertility rate will fall automatically.
Talking to reporters Nitish said, "Every state is independent to do what they want. My opinion is very clear that population control can not be attained by just making laws. When women will be educated they will become conscious enough and the fertility rate will decrease."
Read:| UP govt releases new population policy for 2021-2030
He said that everyone has their own thinking and few people think that something will happen just by making laws but the Bihar government is working on educating women. When women are aware and educated, the population growth rate will reduce and this will affect all communities, he added.
Pointing out the government data which showed that the more educated the women of the family, the lesser the fertility rate, Nitish said that by 2040 the population growth rate will start falling.
On the occasion of World Population Day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath released the Uttar Pradesh Population Policy 2021-2030 where any couple who would follow the two-child policy will receive perks from the government and will be able to avail all government welfare schemes.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that bringing the bill is necessary to control and stabilize the population to promote sustainable development with more equitable distribution. He also underlined the need or creating awareness among the people on this issue.
According to the policy, public servants who adopt the two-child norm will get two additional increments during the entire service, maternity or as the case may be, paternity leave of 12 months, with full salary and allowances and three per cent increase in the employer's contribution fund under the national pension scheme.
In case, if a person does not adopt the policy of two children, then his ration card will be suspended. The policy also has provisions to debar people who have more than two children from contesting local body elections.
Read:| UP population bill draft: Those with more than two kids can't contest local polls
