Sunil Shukla 
The Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission has prepared a draft bill on population control. The bill proposes to bar the violators of the two-child policy from contesting local body elections or applying for government jobs. Disentitle those already in service to promotions, and exclude them from the benefits of 77 schemes. It also suggests incentives such as tax rebates for those with two children or less. The bill also limits ration card units to four. The proposed incentives for government employees with one child include increments, promotions, and concessions in housing schemes. For those who are not government employees, the incentives listed are rebates in taxes on water, housing, home loans. In addition to this, if the parent of a single child opts for vasectomy, then the child will be entitled to free medical facilities until the age of 20. Such children are also proposed to get free education, insurance, and preference in government jobs.
The Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission (UPSLC) states that the provisions are part of the draft titled The Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021.The UPSLC website says, "The State Law Commission, UP is working on control, stabilisation and welfare of the population of the state and has prepared a draft bill." The draft has been uploaded on the commission’s website for suggestions from the public until July 19, 2021. The draft bill reads, "In Uttar Pradesh, there are the limited ecological and economic resources at hand. It is necessary and urgent that the provision of basic necessities of human life including affordable food, safe drinking water, decent housing, access to quality education, economic/livelihood opportunities, power/electricity for domestic consumption, and a secure living is accessible to all citizens."
Justice AN Mittal, the panel’s chairman who has prepared the draft bill, said all aspects have been looked into and an exhaustive study of such laws was carried out before the proposed legislation was drafted. Mittal is a former Allahabad high court judge. Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state with a population of around 24 crore. Congress questioned the timing of the draft bill ahead of the assembly polls in the state. “The polls are due in seven to eight months. What is the urgency to bring the (draft) bill now when parties are preparing for the assembly polls?” said V N Madan, state Congress spokesman. Madan said they were studying the draft bill and added the Congress will support its positive aspects and oppose the ones the government has incorporated for its own benefits.
