‘Pillale Sampada’ to boost population growth, address declining fertility rate in Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh government plans to hold extensive consultations and public gathering before implementing a new population management policy titled ‘Pillale Sampada’ (children are wealth), which aims to spur population growth across the state and address the dwindling fertility rate.

The proposed policy, based on the draft Population Management Policy introduced in the Legislative Assembly on March 5, 2026, marks a major shift from population control measures to population stimulation, with the government considering fiscal incentives for larger families as part of its long-term strategy to ensure workforce availability and economic sustainability.

The Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which was once 2.10 in the state, has now fallen to 1.50. In comparison, the national average fertility rate is 1.9, placing Andhra Pradesh well below the national level.

The state government believes that the falling fertility rate could lead to a severe human resource shortage and economic stagnation in the future. Concerned about the rapidly falling fertility rate and its possible long-term impact on labor availability and economic growth, the coalition government is proposing the innovative programme.

As part of the proposed policy change, the government plans to move away from population control measures and instead encourage population growth. Under the proposed incentive scheme, families will be able to receive financial assistance of INR 30,000 on the birth of the third child and INR 40,000 for the fourth child.

The coalition government now sees population management as a strategic necessity to ensure adequate workforce availability and sustainable development in the coming years. The initiative aims to create long-term economic stability and maintain demographic balance in society, according to a press release issued Sunday.