The Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has recommended that the Government of India withdraw population control measures and incentive schemes implemented in recent years because the fertility rate has fallen sharply.
The recommendation was made in a working report called “The Ghost of Population Past: How Population Control Persists in India”. It says we’re now in a demographic period when population stabilisation is no longer a major concern, so many old population-control policies are outdated.
The report calls for the discontinuation of all DBT schemes for population control. These would include incentives to couples who follow a two-child norm, commonly via Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and other healthcare workers.
Such financial incentives were developed when rapid population growth was considered a challenge, but we have changed demographics. Therefore, the continued use of these schemes may not be in the interests of the programme.
One of the reasons for the recommendation has been the declining Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of India, which has fallen to 1.9. The replacement fertility rate (the rate of fertility required for a stable population) is usually 2.1. Because India’s national TFR is already below this level, the council thinks that the country is on its way toward population stabilisation. This is a sign that population growth is decreasing without the need for intensified control measures.
🇮🇳 Total fertility rate in India since 1950
— World of Statistics (@stats_feed) September 16, 2026
2026: 1.9
2020: 2.05
2015: 2.29
2010: 2.60
2005: 2.96
2000: 3.35
1995: 3.65
1990: 4.05
1985: 4.43
1980: 4.78
1975: 5.20
1970: 5.62
1965: 5.94
1960: 5.92
1955: 5.91
1950: 5.73
The report also highlights regional trends in the country. Barring Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, fertility in most parts of India has dropped to the level of 1.6. In contrast to the fertility rate in developed countries such as the United States and Europe, such low fertility rates are unsustainable in the long run. The council suggests India should be thinking of these demographic changes rather than population control as a priority.
The report also recommends discontinuing programs and campaigns that encourage population control, such as family planning awards and World Population Day campaigns that concentrate on reducing family size. Public policy needs to focus on reproductive health, informed choice, maternal and child well-being and demographic sustainability rather than incentives or restrictions to entice smaller families, the council says.
In addition, the report also urges states to repeal existing two-child policies and eligibility conditions that affect government jobs, local body elections and welfare benefits. And if we have already reached a population that is now below replacement levels, the council said, these rules may no longer be justified, as the national fertility levels have already fallen below replacement. The recommendations have encouraged policymakers, demographers and public health experts in India to rethink their long-term planning around population demographics and future economic needs.
