On the eve of World Population Day, 2021, the U. P. Government came up with the “Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021”.
The GrudNorm of this bill is the two-child (at maximum) policy or popularly known as ‘Hum Do Humare Do’.
If the Bill gets sanctioned in the Parliament of India, it will apply to the whole of the Country.
The Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission has called on public comments by July 19, 2021, on the draft.
Here the public comments or opinions is of a persuasive value and acts as a standing committee.
What is Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill?
The Bill is all about keeping the population in check maintaining perseverance and ensuring the well-being of the whole of Uttar Pradesh in general.
This bill bores with it certain prerogatives as well as certain disenfranchisements. Once the law gets enacted there will be a generalized Birth-Control all over the state.
Why is Uttar Pradesh Population Control Bill important?
India is the 7th largest country globally and ranks 2nd in the world concerning population. We are a 20% population of the world residing on a 2% land. In India, UP is one of the most densely populated states in the country.
Population control is indeed a prime step towards betterment. We all have to admit the fact that resources are limited as they are conventional in nature and overpopulation can lead to scarcity in almost every aspect, such as -Employment and Health Care, also more pollution, traffic, and lack of infrastructure are evident in this Covid pandemic situation. The land area of Uttar Pradesh to that of the population is over the top.
What will the Uttar Pradesh Population Control Bill do?
As the name of the bill suggests it will control the population. Moreover, the UP government has made certain welfare schemes that will only be available to those who abide by the two-child policy or fewer, are – (Entitlements)
(i) Govt. employees will be eligible for two additional increments during the tenure.
(ii) Endowment towards plot purchase.
(iii)Sanctioning of soft loan on purchase or constructions on nominal interest rates; maternity or paternity leave, as the case may be, for a year inclusive of allowances and full salary.
(iv) Spousal benefit of free health care and insurance coverage, also, under National Pension 3% increase in the employer’s contribution fund.
The people other than government employees who adopt the two-child norm or one-child norm by undergoing voluntary sterilization upon oneself will get similar benefits as that of government employees.
The Below Poverty Line couple who are aligned with this draft having only one child and is willing to undergo voluntary sterilization shall be eligible for a one-time payment from the government if it’s a single boy child rupee eighty thousand and a girl child rupees one lakh.
Those government employees who are up for a one-child policy are provided additional incentives like- free education up to graduation, preference to a single child in all educational institutes, Institute of Indian Management, All India Institute of Medical Sciences etc.
The government employees who do not abide by this Draft or act may be after publication in the gazette, for that there are disenfranchisements as well, they are -
(i) ineligible to get any subsidy or promotions in government services.
(ii) ineligible to contest any election to the local authority and government job under the State Government.
Now, the ineligibility to contest an election may seem to be violating one’s democratic rights, but the State can still impose such criteria if it pleases under the Directive Principles of the State Policy (DPSP). Further, if anyone feels their rights have been infringed with, they may seek remedy from the Constitutional Courts of India.
DPSP and its enforcement is a debate till date, though according to the Framers of the Constitution and member of the Constituent Assembly, Sir. S.N. Rau been one of them, believed that the principles could occasionally invade individual rights for the greater good.
This act will apply to the whole of Uttar Pradesh and not to certain minorities or such.
Thus is unfair in this circumstance to paint this issue in a religious colour.
CONCLUSION
In a country like ours, we need strict rules to be strongly implemented by the Government. The one who contests for an election has and mostly believed to be the society's role model. So, that person must curve the path of obedience and what’s right for the people at large. The spread of awareness about family planning, birth control, contraceptives should be available to all and might as well be included as a part of education in academics. The need for contraceptives and distribution of these from NGO’s might help. The aim of the Uttar Pradesh Population Control Bill, 2021 is to reduce the Population Growth Rate to 2.1 % by 2022 and 1.9 % over a decade.