India, May 29 -- With a population of 1.45 billion, India overtook China in 2023 to become the most populous country in the world.
Yet, paradoxically, there is a growing clamour in the country to have more children. The chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh has asked couples to have at least three children. He is not the only one. The Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Tamil Nadu (TN) are also urging the people of their states to increase their family size.
One of the reasons given for such demands is the declining fertility rate, especially in AP and TN. The total fertility rate (TFR) is below the replacement level of two births per woman in both of these southern states.
After decades of pushing for two children or less, mos...