Fertility rate in southern states decreasing, need to talk about population management: Andhra CM Naidu

Fertility rates in southern states have gone below the replacement rate, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Saturday and stressed on the need for "population management".

Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit here, the chief minister said there is a need to talk about population management and it's going to be an asset for India in the years to come.

Naidu said he has been stressing that the silence on the subject should be broken and people should talk about population management.

"People are asking what population management is. You are seeing all European countries, even Japan, even China. All countries are having an aging problem. Only India is having an advantage up to 2047," Naidu said.

"Now South India's aging problem has started. Our fertility rate is 1.6. Generally, to maintain population, 2.1 fertility rate has to be maintained," he said, adding the population growth rate is at the borderline at present in the southern states and soon the population will start decreasing.

"That means the aging problem is catching up in India. Now if you won't talk, then we will have a problem," he said.

The chief minister also said there is a "conflict" between population and wealth as well.

"People are getting more and more money. They are all thinking, no children... I used to promote IT. Both wife and husband are working in IT, they got good jobs. They used to say we have very comfortable, double income, no kids... let us enjoy ourselves. That is the biggest danger for humanity in the world," Naidu said.

"People may not like it immediately. But I wanted to promote only one thing, population management. If you manage the population, nobody can defeat India. We are having 145 crore as on today. China's population is only 135 crore. China will become 100 crore or below 100 crore'¦ We will increase up to 175 crore, then diminishing will start," he added.

The chief minister said the Indian human resources will play an important role in the service sector in the years to come.

"If you can manage the population, 30-40 crore will go all over the world. They will do services everywhere. They will earn money everywhere," Naidu said.

"British people came to India in the name of business and conquered us. Now in the name of service, both public and corporate governance, we will rule globally," he added.

Naidu also said while he had earlier framed policy to discourage population growth, his government may now frame policies to incentivise it.

Asked about the role of his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) as a key component of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Naidu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made the brand of India very strong.

He said Modi is a strong leader with a modern outlook and very progressive.

"He's having great ideas, we are not only endorsing, we'll strengthen his efforts. That is where his leader will follow him, and work with him for a logical conclusion," he said.

Talking about the meeting of the NDA chief ministers with the prime minister in Chandigarh, Naidu said Modi heard the chief ministers for four hours.

"Another thing, he is always working for the next election. That is the beauty. He had already planned for 2029. We did not know that," he said.

Naidu said the BJP will come back to power again.

"You can see from two seats, now, they have been in power for 11 years. Even in the future, this government will continue," he added.

Naidu also spoke on the growth of the internet and expressed strong views against online trolling, especially against women.