In a bid to control the increasing population in Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led state government is planning to bring a new population policy, which could have provisions including not allowing people with more than two children to avail benefits of state’s welfare schemes or contest panchayat elections.

UP Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh on Wednesday (4 March) said that the new population policy of the state was on the anvil, reports Times of India.

“Population policy of different states is being studied and the best from them is being culled out for our state which is the most populous in India,” Singh was quoted as saying.

He added that a group of experts is reviewing a draft of the population policy, which was last revised in 2000.

State’s Family Welfare director-general Dr Badri Vishal, who is also part of the expert group, said that while the southern states of the country have been able to control their population, the northern states are still struggling.

“Several states, particularly Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh - which are smaller than us in terms of population - have rolled out schemes to de-incentivise too many children. In both the states, those with more than two children cannot contest panchayat elections. We propose to adopt this rule,” he said.

Another step which is being discussed to control the population growth is withholding benefits under state government’s welfare schemes to those having over two children, sources were quoted in the report as saying.

“Though this is a tough call, certain states do not reimburse school fee allowance to those government employees who have more than two children,” said an officer.

Besides, those having more than two children could also be barred from entering certain state services.

“In 2001, Rajasthan rolled out its population control policy which doesn’t permit people with more than two children from entering state services,” said Dr Vishal.