After the BJP governments in Assam and Uttar Pradesh announced their intent to bring a population control policy, Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Wednesday extended support to the legal measures for controlling the growth of population. “Population growth is a matter of great concern. It is high time the country thought about controlling it,” Mr. Sharma said.
While giving details of the COVID-19 vaccination drive to reporters here, Mr. Sharma said the increasing population had made an adverse impact on development activities and vaccination during the pandemic. “Our resources are under a tremendous strain,” he said.
“The country has to think about controlling the population, so that the future generations can get better education, healthcare and other facilities for a better quality of life... It is time for Hum Do, Hamara Ek [We two and one child],” Mr. Sharma said.
The Minister affirmed that he had raised the issue earlier at several platforms, ever since the slogan, Hum Do, Hamarey Do [We both and two children], was coined in the country.
The Congress-ruled Rajasthan has legal provisions for disqualifying the candidates for panchayat elections and government jobs on having more than two children. Under Section 19(l) of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, no person can become a Panch or member of a Panchayati Raj institution if he has more than two children.
The previous BJP government had relaxed the two-child norm in case of a differently abled child.
