UP Proposes Incentives For Parents Following 'Two-child' Policy: Here Are All The Details

After Assam, the Uttar Pradesh government is now mulling a two-child policy and the law could make those following it, eligible for government jobs and welfare schemes.

The UP State Law Commission on Friday released the first draft of the bill aimed at population control. The draft bill has provisions to debar people who have more than two children from the benefits of government schemes and perks to those who follow the two-child policy. There are additional incentives proposed for those who have or will have only one child.

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Policy will be "voluntary"

The commission has also sought recommendations for changes to be made in the draft -- which can be sent via e-mail or post by July 19. The UP law commission said that the policy will be voluntary ¡ª it will not be enforced upon anyone.

However, if any person decides to "voluntarily" keep the number of their family members limited, they will be eligible for government schemes. On the other hand, if someone doesn't follow the policy, they will face restrictions in government jobs, availing ration, and other benefits, reports HT.

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The draft bill which has now been uploaded to the Law commission's website, lists incentives for government employees, general public and couples below poverty line for adopting two-child or one-child policy via voluntary sterilisation.

The bill also lists many disincentives for all such as debarring from benefit of govt-sponsored welfare schemes, ration card limits, contesting local body elections etc. The bill will not be applicable to those already having more than two children before the passage of the bill.

Let's take a look at the proposed incentives in detail.

Incentives

1. For govt employees (Two-child policy):

• Two additional increments during the entire service
• Subsidy towards purchase of plot or house site or built house from Housing Board
• Soft loan for construction or purchasing a house on nominal rates of interest
• Rebate on charges for utilities such as water, electricity, water, house tax
• Maternity or as the case may be, paternity leave of 12 months, with full salary and allowances
• Three per cent increase in the employer¡®s contribution
• Fund under national pension scheme
• Free health care facility and insurance coverage to spouse

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2. For govt employees (One-child policy):

Additional incentives like - two more increments during the entire services, free health care facility and insurance coverage to the single child till it turns 20, preference to single child in admission in all educational institutions and govt jobs, free education up-to graduation level, and scholarship for higher studies in case of a girl child.

3. For general public (Two-child policy):

Similar incentives such as govt employees comprising - house purchase or construction soft loan, rebate in utilities, 12-month maternity & paternity paid leave, and free health care to spouse.

4. For general public (One-child policy):

Similar incentives such as govt employees comprising - free health care to child, preference in education admissions and govt jobs, free education upto graduation and scholarships for single girl child for higher studies.

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Disincentives

• Debarring from benefit of state govt welfare schemes
• Limit of ration card Units upto Four
• Bar on contesting election to Local Body - existing members must give an undertaking to adhere to this Law and violation will result in dismissal and debarrment
• Bar on applying to government jobs - existing members must give an undertaking to adhere to this Law and violation will result in dismissal and debarrment
• Bar on Promotion in government services
• Bar on receiving any kind of government subsidy

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Exceptions to the law

• Multiple births out of second pregnancy
• Adoption of a third child after having two children out of marriage or adoption of two children after having a child out of marriage.
• All other combinations of adoption resulting in a couple having more than two children will violate the law
• Disability of the first or second child
• Death of the child
• Married couple expecting a third child at the commencement of this Law

In case of polygamous/Polyandrous marriages

• A husband in a polygamous marriage violating this law will not receive any benefits and incentives under provided under this Act and will be liable to face the disincentives, however, his wife and children will be eligible for the benefits
• Similarly, a wife in a polyandrous marriage violating this law will not receive any benefits and incentives under provided under this Act and will be liable to face the disincentives

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Experts cite risks to women

According to Family planning 2020, though India is projected to overtake China¡¯s population in less than a decade, the organisation states that India is on course to achieve population stabilisation with a national Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.2, which is close to the replacement level fertility of 2.1.

Referring to the sharp decline in India¡¯s population growth rates over 10 years from 2001 to 2011 from 21.5% to 17.7%, the organisation states that 24 of the Indian states and union territories have already reached the replacement level TFR of 2.1 with the desired Fertility Rate at 1.8.

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The organisation also highlights that currently there is a high unmet need for family planning at 13% amid married women of 15-49 years as of 2015-16. This, reportedly placed these women at grave risk of death or disability during pregnancy and childbirth due to lack of access to contraceptives.