Andhra Pradesh CM asks people to have more children

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday asked people to have more children or to at least take the responsibility to give birth to at least one child. Stating that the number of births had come down compared to the number of deaths in the state, Naidu said people need to have vision and do what was best for the society.

Addressing a gathering of women self-help groups here, Naidu said they would have to think about future. Recalling that women self-help groups played key role in successful implementation of family planning programme in the past, Naidu said the situation had now changed.

"There are people who don't want to marry at all and there are those who marry but don't want to have children. This is a dangerous trend," he said. Stating that family system was the pride of the country, Naidu underlined the need to protect it and urged the women groups to create awareness among people.

"The population of China is coming down. The situation is same in Japan and Europe. In our country we don't have this problem now but in future we too may have this problem." The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President said earlier those having more than two children were not eligible to contest Panchayat Raj elections. "Our government has done away with this clause. Now those having even four children can contest the elections," he added.