UP Two-Child Policy Bill Proposes One-Time Monetary Incentive Of Rs 1 Lakh To Single Child Couples

In the final draft of the Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) State Law Commission has suggested providing a one-time monetary benefit of Rs 1 lakh to families opting to have only a single child.

Moreover, the bill has added one more provision which makes individuals violating the two-child norm ineligible from occupying the position of the managing director or chairman of any public authority.

The restriction from being nominated as the member of any local authority, contesting local elections and will be prohibited from availing advantages of state-sponsored welfare schemes remains the same.

Over 8,500 suggestions was received by the panel with regards to the said bill. One of them was to provide couples with one child a one-time lump sum amount. In the first draft, the commission had restricted this incentive to families below the poverty line and had also suggested the amount at ₹1 lakh.

“One of the suggestions we received was to extend this incentive to all families, and also to not prescribe the amount as the value of money can fluctuate depending on inflation,” the commission’s chairman AN Mittal was quoted in an article by the Economic Times.

Moreover, the commission has also cited several judgments from the Supreme Court to assert that the bill doesn’t violate Article 25 dealing with the freedom of conscience and free propagation, practice and profession of religion

The law commission has further clarified that the total number of children of a man or a woman legally married to more than one partner will be taken into consideration whilst applying this two-child policy for people in polygamous relationships.

The bill was submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday.