It is time to change family planning slogan to ‘Two, three, or more', says Andhra Pradesh Minister

The Hindu

22-04-2025

Minister for Women Development and Child Welfare Gummidi Sandhya Rani has stated that women should have more children, considering the nation's needs. The concept of two children or one child per family is no longer valid.
Participating as chief guest at the State-level 'Poshan Pakhwada–2025' at the VMRDA Children Arena, here, on Tuesday, the Minister said that the time has come to change the old family planning slogan to 'Two, three, or more'.
She stated that having more than two children would not adversely impact welfare scheme beneficiaries and that an official notification has already been issued in this regard.
She stated that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu aims to ensure women's health and happiness, and he has taken several measures to enhance their welfare.
Mr. Naidu was sympathetic to the demands of Anganwadis and ASHA workers and had also sanctioned funds under various schemes.
She called upon the field staff to work diligently and urged better coordination between Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) officials and those of the Medical and Health Departments to expand the reach of their services.
Ms. Rani explained that under the 'Poshan' programme, the care of children for the first 1,000 days after birth should be given top priority.
She suggested measures to prevent obesity and promote overall growth. She also said the Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) module should be implemented strictly and consistently to identify children suffering from nutritional deficiencies.
She called upon parents not to discriminate between male and female children but to give them equal priority and attention. Children should be taught human values, and parents should set a good example for their children by avoiding excessive TV watching and mobile phone use. Caesarean sections were more common in urban areas, with 70% of deliveries through C-sections compared to 40% in rural areas.
Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad called for developing good eating habits in children by drawing inspiration from Japan. He said that cycling and exercise were compulsory for children in Japan, and TV and mobile phones were kept out of their reach. Healthy eating habits and discipline play a crucial role in ensuring the health of children in Japan, he said.
Earlier, the Minister visited the nutrition stalls, put up by the ICDS staff. She performed 'Seemantham', a traditional baby shower ceremony, for pregnant women.
A. Surya Kumari, Principal Secretary, Women and Child Welfare, was present.