On one side, people are being told to save money, avoid using cars, reduce fuel consumption, use public transport, cut unnecessary spending and adjust to difficult times.
On the other side, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is asking people to have more children and is promising incentives for bigger families.
This has become a strange debate in the state.
In recent days, Naidu has been repeatedly speaking about the need to have more children. He is giving a new definition to wealth and saying that children are the real wealth. He is asking people not to treat children as a burden.
He has even announced incentives — Rs 30,000 for the third child and Rs 40,000 for the fourth child. He has also hinted that the amount under the Thalliki Vandanam scheme may be increased from Rs 15,000.
But the question is simple: is this the right time to talk about more children?
A war in West Asia, which has no direct connection with us, is already creating panic across the world. If the war continues for a few more weeks, we may see fuel shortages, gas problems and long queues at petrol bunks. People are already worried about rising prices and uncertainty.
In Andhra Pradesh, the fuel shortage was felt more sharply than in many other states. When the ground reality is so serious, Naidu’s campaign asking people to have more children sounds surprising.
No other Chief Minister in the country seems to be promoting this issue so aggressively. Naturally, people are asking what the real intention behind this campaign is.
Opposition parties and civil society groups are also questioning Naidu’s stand. Their argument is that the government is not able to properly support even the existing population. In such a situation, how can it ask people to have more children?
Netizens are also pointing out another contradiction. Chandrababu Naidu himself has only one son. His son Nara Lokesh also has only one son. So people are asking: when the ruling family followed a small-family formula at home, why are they giving lectures to others about having more children?
The bigger concern is the future. Prices of essential commodities are rising sharply. Middle-class and poor families are struggling to manage daily expenses. Education, healthcare, rent, food and transport have all become costly. Many families are already finding it difficult to raise even one or two children.
In such a situation, asking people to have a third or fourth child looks disconnected from reality.
If the government is serious, it should first show how it will provide quality education, healthcare, jobs, food security and financial support for every child. Without that, merely saying “children are wealth” will not help ordinary families.
Another important question is about political responsibility. How long will Naidu remain in power? By the time people have more children based on his appeal, his present term may also come to an end. Then who will give the promised incentives? Which government will continue them? What guarantee do people have?
People need practical support, not emotional slogans.
At a time when even the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers are cutting down convoys and talking about austerity, asking ordinary people to expand their families raises serious questions.
The government should not use the slogan of “children are wealth” to divert attention from real issues or escape from implementing existing promises. Leaders should speak responsibly and focus on the real problems of people.
Before asking people to have more children, the government must first take care of those who are already struggling.
Usha Chowdhary
