NEW DELHI: There are no plans for a population control law, said the Union Health Ministry. Sources close to the ministry hint that there is no need for a law to regulate the population at a time when campaigns and awareness creation are showing results.

Union Minister for Food Processing Prahlad Singh Patel had earlier said that a law for population control would be brought soon. The minister expressed his stance pointing out that overpopulation is leading many countries towards food shortage. Several organizations had come out against the minister’s statement. As the issue sparked a buzz at the national level, BJP chief J P Nadda said that discussions have been on and that the process of making a law takes time.

However, the union health ministry signaled that India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has declined from 2.2 in 2015-16 to 2.0 in 2019-21, indicating that there are no plans for a population control law. In 2016, Prahlad Patel had himself introduced a bill on population control. As per the bill, those with a third child could be denied welfare benefits. Another bill was also introduced by MP Rakesh Sinha in 2019.