Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced financial incentives for families having third and fourth children
May 16, 2026: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday announced cash incentives of ₹30,000 for the birth of a third child and ₹40,000 for a fourth child as part of the state government’s efforts to reverse declining population growth. Speaking during a public programme in Srikakulam district, Naidu said the government would release detailed guidelines for the scheme within a month.
The chief minister said society now needs to encourage higher birth rates, despite earlier campaigns focused on population control. He noted that many couples are choosing to have only one child as incomes rise, while some families prefer a second child only if the firstborn is not a boy. Naidu warned that the falling fertility rate could create long-term demographic and economic challenges for the state.
Earlier this year, the Andhra Pradesh government had considered offering ₹25,000 for the birth of a second child. Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav later indicated that the incentives could be extended for larger families. Naidu stressed that maintaining the replacement-level Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 is crucial for population stability and said countries with ageing populations have faced economic slowdowns. He also rejected the idea that children are a burden, calling them an asset for society.