(Web Desk) - The Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has announced financial incentives for families giving birth to a third and fourth child, in an effort to address declining birth rates.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the government aims to encourage higher birth rates as the state’s population growth slows.
He stated that the administration will provide ₹30,000 for the birth of a third child and ₹40,000 for a fourth child, adding that detailed guidelines will be issued within a month.
The announcement follows earlier discussions in which the government had considered incentives for second-child births. However, state Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav later indicated that the plan had been expanded to include families with three or more children.
Naidu noted that rising incomes have led many couples to prefer having only one child, while others decide to have a second child only under certain conditions.
He also warned that the declining fertility rate could affect long-term population stability, stating that a total fertility rate of around 2.1 children per woman is necessary to maintain demographic balance.