CM expresses concern over declining fertility

Tirupati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed concern over declining birth rates in the state and underlined the need for proactive population management to avoid the challenges faced by countries like South Korea and Japan.

During the unveiling of the ‘Kuppam Vision-2029’ event in Kuppam on Monday, Naidu urged families to initiate discussions on birth rate and population management to secure a sustain-able future.

Highlighting the falling birth rate in his constituency, Kuppam, which has dropped to 1.5 which is below the replacement level of 2, Naidu warned against complacency.

“Countries like South Korea, with a birth rate of 0.9 and Japan are struggling with aging popula-tions and societal challenges. We must not repeat their mistakes,” he cautioned.

Naidu pointed out a cultural shift where some couples prefer not to have children to prioritise personal financial enjoyment, a trend he said could harm societal continuity. “If your parents had the same mind set, you wouldn’t be here today,” he said.

The Chief Minister stressed that Andhra Pradesh would experience a demographic dividend with a young population until 2047.

However, he warned that an aging population could dominate after this period, necessitating balanced population growth to ensure economic and social stability.