Andhra Pradesh MP’s controversial birth incentive sparks row amid delimitation debate

Andhra Pradesh Lok Sabha MP Kalisetti Appala Naidu recently proposed an incentive of Rs 50,000 for women giving birth to a third child, along with an additional offer of a cow if the newborn is a boy. This has led to a widespread debate.

Defending his proposal, Naidu cited concerns over the state's declining birth rate and the need to address a “very poor next generation” in India, despite the country’s current population surpassing 1.44 billion.

Naidu, a member of the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the centre, has received praise for his proposal from Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, with some labelling the scheme as “revolutionary.” However, the incentive has drawn sharp criticism for promoting gender bias by offering greater rewards for the birth of boys.

The proposal comes at a time when the country is witnessing a heated debate over delimitation—a process of redrawing parliamentary constituency boundaries based on current population data—before the 2029 general election.

Southern states, led by Tamil Nadu, have raised concerns that delimitation could lead to a reduction in their parliamentary representation, as these states have successfully controlled population growth compared to their northern counterparts.

Tamil Nadu, for instance, currently holds 39 Lok Sabha seats, accounting for 7.2 per cent of the total. However, with population-based delimitation, the state’s representation could diminish, triggering fears of political marginalisation.

Chief minister MK Stalin of Tamil Nadu has been at the forefront of opposing delimitation, calling it a “blatant assault on federalism” that unfairly penalises states with effective population control measures. Last week, Stalin invited his counterparts from seven states, including Punjab and West Bengal, for a meeting in Chennai on 22 March to discuss the potential impact of delimitation.

The central government has refuted allegations of imposing Hindi or disadvantaging southern states through delimitation. It has argued that the new education policy's three-language formula does not mandate the study of Hindi, and that population-based redrawing of constituencies would not necessarily reduce southern representation.

Meanwhile, Chandrababu Naidu, who is also on Stalin’s invitation list, has expressed reservations about linking delimitation with population control. Emphasising the emerging “aging problem” in South India, Naidu highlighted those states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have a demographic advantage due to higher birth rates, while southern states may face challenges related to a shrinking working-age population.

As Tamil Nadu gears up for its Assembly election next year, issues surrounding delimitation and language policies are expected to take centre stage. The BJP, which has struggled to establish a significant foothold in Tamil Nadu, may face heightened resistance from regional parties that are vocally opposing any moves perceived as undermining the state’s representation.

With both population growth and federal representation at stake, the debate over Naidu’s controversial incentive reflects the broader challenge of balancing demographic realities with political aspirations.