Two years after adopting a population policy, the Assam Cabinet on October 21st, 2019 decided that no government jobs will be given to persons having more than two children after January 1st, 2021.
The population of Assam increased to 3.12 crores (2011, Census report) (2.66 crore in 2001 census). Although there is a decline in the decadal growth of population, the rate of increase of 17.07 is at an unsustainable level. Assam’s average family size is 5.5 which is above the National average, a government report indicated.
In September 2017, the Assam Assembly had passed the ‘Population and Women Empowerment Policy of Assam’. As per the policy, a person with two children would only be eligible for government employment.
The Cabinet also adopted a New Land Policy, which will give three bighas of agricultural land to landless indigenous people and half a bigha for constructing a house.
Photo credit: odishatv.in
