AIZAWL, Dec 9, 2018

While the nation is grappling under population boom and the current generation opting for nuclear families and not more than 2 children, it is a known fact that many indigenous communities in India, in general and Northeast India in particular are facing the risk of dwindling population in terms of tribes. And Mizoram is one such state. Hence this news article should not come in as a surprise to many in Northeast Indian states.

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In what may be termed as a violation of the national policy of birth control, Synod (the highest council) of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church has decided to encourage more babies among its members.

The Assam Tribune reported that in the on-going 95th assembly of the Synod at Electric Veng Presbyterian Church on Saturday passed the agenda to encourage Mizo couples to have more babies to check the dwindling Mizo population. The resolution introduced by Tuirini Presbytery was unanimously passed after discussions on Saturday.

During the discussions, concerns were raised over the declining decadal population growth among the Mizos due to birth control policy. Some even mentioned that a certain community in southernmost part of Mizoram near the Bangladesh border recorded abnormal population growth which poses demographic threat to the Mizos.

“If the rate of population growth of Mizos goes on like this, there are chances that Mizos can become a minority in their own State in the long run,” one participant said.

The low birth rates among the dominant Mizo tribe of the State have become a matter of concern to the churches and Mizo organisations as well.

It may be recalled that in January this year, the Baptist Church of Mizoram branch from Lunglei’s Bazar Veng announced cash incentives to the new born fourth babies onward to Mizo couples. Cash incentive will go up according to the number starting from the fourth. Thus the fourth born will get Rs 4,000, the fifth Rs 5,000 and so on.

Though the two larger churches of Mizoram – The Presbyterian Church and the Baptist Church of Mizoram have repeatedly appealed to its members to have more babies, this is the first time a resolution in this matter has been passed in the highest council of the church.

The historic decision entrusted the Synod executive committee to educate the church members to have as many children as possible and will outrightly oppose any birth control policy in the State.

The population of Mizoram is 11.2 lakh. According to Mizoram’s statistical handbook the aggregate population growth in this decade was 23.48 per cent while in earlier decade it was 29.18 per cent.

With inputs from The Assam Tribune