Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday sought to dispel confusion around delimitation, asserting that it is a separate issue from population management and should not be linked to the ongoing political discussions.
"Delimitation is a continuous process, occurring once in 25 years," Naidu told reporters here.
"Don't link all issues at a time. Delimitation and population management are different. I am talking about national interest," he added.
Discussing the ongoing political debates, Naidu emphasised, "There are reservations, and we will accommodate them. But don't link all issues at a time." Speaking about India's demographic potential, Naidu highlighted the country's unique position in the global demographic landscape, describing India as having the "biggest advantage of demographic dividend".
Naidu also drew attention to the global aging crisis, pointing out the population challenges in countries like Japan, China, and some European nations.
"Japan is minus 8 per cent. It is an important issue for the survival of human beings," Naidu said.
"Aging problem has started in south India. Only two states -- Bihar and Uttar Pradesh -- have advantages in north India. We were thinking it is a disadvantage but it is an advantage now," he said.
Challenging the traditional family planning perspectives, Naidu revealed a personal policy shift.
"Even I used to advocate family planning as a challenge. Now, I am changing my views and promoting population growth," he said.
The chief minister also suggested a new approach for resource allocation, saying, "Wealth creation and population often conflict." He proposed that "the government of India or the finance commission should promote population".
"Don't punish those who have aging problems today. Give incentives for more children," he said.
On concerns about delimitation, particularly those raised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Naidu said, "All those things will be discussed. Sometimes some decisions are taken on the basis of assumptions. But sometimes all assumptions don't give dividends for the society. We have to change our views." "We will work out how to keep everyone's sentiments in mind," Naidu said, positioning himself as a pioneer in "demographic management".
Clarifying his approach, Naidu added, "I did not say population promotion, but demographic management. If you do demographic management, sustainability of the economy will be there, and Indians will do a great job."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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