Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu: Villupuram Lok Sabha constituency MP T. Ravi Kumar has appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to announce incentives to encourage people in the state to have a third child. In this regard, he contacted Tamil Nadu’s Public Health Minister Dr. K.G. Have written a letter to Arunraj requesting him to pay attention to this issue.
In his letter, the MP cited the recent data of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2023-2024 and said that the sharp decline in the population growth rate of Tamil Nadu is a matter of concern. He told that while the Total Fertility Rate in the country is around 2.0, in Tamil Nadu it has come down to 1.7. According to him, this situation can have a serious impact on the population structure of the state in future.
T. Ravi Kumar also said in his letter that if this decline continues, the working population and overall population balance in Tamil Nadu may be affected in the coming years. He requested the government to consider economic and social incentives to encourage families to have a third child, so that population balance can be maintained.
The MP also claimed that the decline in fertility rate in the state is not only due to natural reasons, but social and health policies also play a role in it. He cited high levels of sterilization surgeries, especially among women, as a major reason for this trend. According to him, the sterilization rate of Tamil Nadu in India is 56.6 percent, which is considered higher than the national average.
According to NFHS report data, Tamil Nadu has long been at the forefront in family planning and health services, due to which there is a steady decline in the birth rate. However, the MP expressed concern that if this trend continues, the state’s population growth may slow down in the coming decades, which may also impact the economic and social structure.
Meanwhile, experts associated with the health department say that the decline in fertility rate is due to many reasons, including education, urbanization, employment opportunities, and women’s health awareness. Experts also believe that family planning policies have played an important role in population control in the long run.
However, this suggestion of the MP may evoke different reactions in political and social circles, because population policy and family planning are considered sensitive topics in India. Some experts believe that incentive-based policies could further the debate on population balance.
At present, no official response has come from the government on this letter, but it is believed that the Health Department can review the data and policies related to this subject.
