Andhra Pradesh: Chandrababu Naidu will introduce a bill that will allow those with 2 or more children to contest local polls

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday said his government is planning to pass a law that would allow only people with two or more children to contest local elections.

The Chief Minister also urged families to consider having more children, expressing concerns over the state’s aging population and its long-term impact on the country’s demographic balance.

“The government is planning to introduce legislation to make only those with more than two children eligible to contest local elections,” Naidu said on Saturday, after resuming construction work in Amaravati, which had been halted by the previous government.

The measure, he said, aims to encourage families to have more children and ensure a younger and more vibrant population in the coming years.

The Chief Minister warned of growing signs of an aging crisis in South India, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, noting that while India will maintain a demographic advantage until 2047, southern parts of the country were already beginning to see the effects of an aging population.

“Countries like Japan, China and several European countries are facing the consequences of population aging, where a significant portion of the population is elderly,” Naidu said.

Furthermore, it highlighted the effect of youth migration, as many people move to urban areas or abroad in search of better opportunities, leaving rural villages with elderly residents.

“In countless villages across Andhra Pradesh and the country, the younger generation has moved to cities, leaving only the elderly behind,” noted Naidu.

Naidu also cited the decline in fertility rates in the southern state, which fell to 1.6 – well below the national average of 2.1. He expressed concern about the implications of this decline, warning that if the trend continues, Andhra Pradesh could face a serious aging problem by 2047. “This is not a desirable future and we must act now,” he warned.