Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday announced cash incentives of ₹30,000 for the birth of a third child and ₹40,000 for a fourth child, as part of efforts to address the state’s declining population growth.
Addressing a public meeting in Narsannapeta, Srikakulam district, Naidu said the government would provide ₹30,000 immediately after the birth of a third child and ₹40,000 for a fourth, adding that detailed guidelines would be issued within a month.
He also noted that rising incomes have led some couples to opt for single-child families, while others are choosing a second child only if the firstborn is a girl.
The Chief Minister, who earlier supported family planning, said children should now be seen as “wealth” and stressed the need to maintain a replacement-level Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1. He warned that declining population trends and ageing societies could harm economic growth, citing examples of countries like South Korea and Japan.
Naidu had earlier proposed ₹25,000 incentives for a second child, but the latest announcement extends benefits further to third and fourth children. Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav confirmed the revised policy.
The move has drawn political criticism. Congress leaders questioned the absence of a national population policy, while YSR Congress Party called it a diversion from governance failures in the state.
