UP’s population draft bill says those with more than 2 children cannot contest local elections (Representational)
Lucknow:
According to a draft of the proposed Population Control Bill, violators of the two-child policy in Uttar Pradesh will be debarred from contesting local body elections, applying for government jobs or getting promotions and receiving any kind of government subsidy.
The Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission (UPSLC) states that the provisions are part of a draft titled Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021.
The UPSLC website says, “The State Law Commission is working on the control, stabilization and welfare of the population of the state of UP and has prepared a draft bill.”
According to a report by news agency Press Trust of India, suggestions have been sought from the public to improve the draft bill and its last date is July 19.
Listing the incentives for public servants adopting the two-child norm, the draft bill says, “Public servants adopting the two-child norm will get two additional increments during the entire service, maternity or paternity leave of 12 month, with full salary and allowances and three per cent increase in the employer’s contribution fund under the National Pension Scheme.”
A State Population Fund will be constituted for the purpose of implementation of the Act.
Listing out the duties of the government, the draft bill states that maternity centers will be set up at all primary health centres. The Center and NGOs will distribute contraceptive pills, condoms etc., spread awareness about methods of family planning through community health workers and ensure compulsory registration of pregnancies, deliveries, births and deaths across the state.
The draft bill also states that it will be the duty of the government to introduce a compulsory subject related to population control in all secondary schools.
The Bill seeks to revive efforts and provide measures to control, stabilize and provide welfare to the state’s population by implementing and promoting the two-child norm.
According to news agency PTI, the draft bill reads, “In Uttar Pradesh, limited ecological and economic resources are at hand. It is necessary and imperative that there is provision of basic necessities of human life including affordable food, safe drinking water, decent housing. , access to quality education, economic/livelihood opportunities, electricity/electricity for household consumption, and a secure life accessible to all citizens.”
It states that it is necessary to control, stabilize the population of the state in order to promote sustainable development with more equitable distribution.
In order to achieve the goal of population control, stabilization and its welfare in the state, it is necessary to ensure healthy birth spacing through measures related to increasing the availability, access and affordability of quality reproductive health services, reads the draft bill.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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