The ABP Southern Rising Summit 2024 witnessed diverse perspectives on population growth, birth rates, and the potential implications of the upcoming Lok Sabha delimitation. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu and Telangana MLA Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (KTR) shared their views on the issue.
Speaking at the summit, Ram Mohan Naidu defended Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's recent remarks encouraging families in the state to have more children. "There is no controversy in Chandrababu Naidu saying that we need more children. Chandrababu Naidu is a visionary... He thinks for the next 20 years, even 50 years," he said, adding that the Chief Minister’s comments were rooted in concerns about an ageing population, similar to challenges faced by countries like Japan, Germany, the USA, and Nordic nations.
He highlighted that while India currently benefits from a young population, this demographic advantage might not last indefinitely. "Maybe in 20-30 years, we also may face the problem of aging population. He wants to make people aware that if you want India to be an advantageous country of demographic dividend over the next 100-200 years, our strongest advantage should continue in the future... He is not forcing people; he wants people to understand that India has an advantage over the world due to a young population," Ram Mohan Naidu explained.
In contrast, KTR, also speaking at the summit, critiqued the push for population growth, citing the rising costs of living, education, and healthcare. "Our infrastructure, education, medicare facilities have become so expensive that the middle class doesn’t want to have more kids, that is deterring people from having more kids," he remarked, pointing out the challenges faced by working women due to a lack of support systems like crèches and nurseries at workplaces. "Infrastructure is crumbling in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, traffic is a nightmare and now you want more children? Governments need to introspect. It is also a personal choice that rests more with women. For the existing population, provide the best possible facilities."
KTR further emphasised that the upcoming delimitation of constituencies should be addressed through political unity rather than a demographic shift. "Delimitation is a separate issue; you can’t solve it by having children now. Let us fight together in Parliament as the south, that our voice and representation doesn’t go down because of our successful family planning," he stated. KTR urged for a united stance in Parliament to challenge the proposed delimitation process, which he argued could penalise states that had adhered to family planning measures in the 1970s and 1980s.
"Let us fight with Modi ji and tell him that it would be wrong to increase seats in UP because your party is strong there and decrease it in the south because your party is weak there. You are penalising and disincentivising those people who followed government advice back in the 1970s and 80s," he emphasised.
These remarks come after N. Chandrababu Naidu appealed to families in Andhra Pradesh on Monday, urging women to have at least two children to address the state's declining birthrate. Citing demographic challenges faced by Europe and Japan, he warned, "South India is witnessing an aging problem," and stressed the importance of increasing birth rates to avoid a society with a disproportionately elderly population. He cautioned that if current trends continue, the birthrate could fall to one or lower. "If you (each woman) give birth to more than two children, then the population will increase," Chandrababu Naidu stated, as quoted by news agency PTI.
In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin suggested that the impending Lok Sabha delimitation could influence family planning decisions. Drawing on a traditional Tamil blessing, “pathinarum petru peru vazhvu vazhga” (meaning "acquire 16 different kinds of wealth and lead a prosperous life"), Stalin pointed to the possible impact of the delimitation process. “The Parliament delimitation process may encourage couples to have many children and give up thoughts of a small family. But whatever be the outcome, provide Tamil names to your children,” he remarked, underlining the cultural significance of maintaining traditional practices amid demographic changes.
