The Uttar Pradesh Law Commission has released a draft of the "Uttar Pradesh population (Control, stabilization and Welfare) Act, 2021" which seeks to provide various incentives to public servants who choose to follow the two-child norm. Those who choose to breach it will be ineligible for govt jobs and govt subsidies.
The Commission has sought public inputs to the draft Bill latest by July 17.
Incentives to Public servants
The public servants under the control of the State Government who adopts two-child norm by undergoing voluntary sterilization operation upon himself or spouse will be given the following incentives—
- two additional increments during the entire service;
- Subsidy towards the purchase of plot or house site or built house from Housing Board or Development Authority, as may be prescribed;
- soft loan for construction or purchasing a house on nominal rates of interest, as may be prescribed;
- rebate on charges for utilities such as water, electricity, water, house tax, as may be prescribed;
- Maternity or as the case may be, paternity leave of 12 months, with full salary and allowances;
- three percent increase in the employer's contribution Fund under national pension
- free health care facility and insurance coverage to spouse; and
- such other benefits and incentives, as may be prescribed.
The Bill also seeks to provide additional incentives to those public servants who have only one child and undergo voluntary sterilization operation upon himself or spouse. Such incentives will include-
- two additional increments during the entire services;
- free health care facility and insurance coverage to the single child till he attains the age of twenty years;
- preference to a single child in admission in all educational institutions, including but not limited to Indian Institute of Management, All India Institute of Medical Science etc.;
- free education up to graduation level;
- scholarship for higher studies in case of a girl child;
- preference to a single child in government jobs; and
- such other benefits and incentives, as may be prescribed.
As per the draft Bill, any public servant who breaches the two-child norm will not be entitled to promotion.
As for the general public, any individual who adopts the two-child norm by undergoing voluntary sterilization operation upon himself or spouse will be given the incentives and benefits of-
- soft loan for construction or purchasing a house on nominal rates of interest,as may be prescribed;
- rebate on charges for utilities such as water, electricity, water, house tax, as may be prescribed;
- Maternity or as the case may be, paternity leave of 12 months, with full salary and allowances;
- three per cent increase in the employer's contribution Fund under national pension
Special Benefit to Couple Living under the Below Poverty Line
A couple living below the poverty line, having only one child and undergoing voluntary sterilization will be eligible for payment from the Government of a one-time lump-sum amount of Rs 80,000 if the single child is a boy, and Rs 100,000 if it is a girl.
Disincentives, Revocation of Incentives
The draft bill seeks to penalize those who breach the two-child norms. It will include-
- Debarring from the benefit of Government-sponsored welfare schemes,
- Limit of ration card Units up to Four,
- Other disincentives as may be prescribed.
Bar on contesting election to Local Body
Those who choose to breach the two-child norm will be ineligible to contest elections to local authorities or any local self-governing body.