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India.com
10 hours ago
- Health
- India.com
India Tops World Population Charts; Guess Which Metro Birth Rates Are Booming?
New Delhi: India has become the most populous country in the world, officially overtaking China. While the national population continues to witness a rapid grow, the country represents a contrasting trend. Birth rates are declining in several states and metro cities. If the overall population is increasing, where are the most children being born today? Chennai holds the top position in childbirth in the list of India's major metropolitan cities. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 2019-21, the city's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) stands at 1.65 – which is highest among metro cities. It means each woman here gives birth to an average of 1.65 children. Following closely are Delhi with a TFR of 1.57, Hyderabad at 1.54, Mumbai at 1.44 and Kolkata at 1.40. These numbers highlight a trend, which is urban lifestyles, rising education levels and employment opportunities are contributing to lower fertility rates in India's largest cities. Still, Chennai remains an outlier with the highest urban fertility rate. Interestingly, Gujarat's Ahmedabad is also witnessing a mini baby boom. The city recorded over 100,000 births in fiscal year 2022–23 – a milestone not reached since 2019. It is the first significant spike in births since the COVID-19 pandemic. It points to a rebound in family planning and healthcare access. There is a twist here. Several South Indian states are now actively promoting childbirth. Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister MK Stalin recently made headlines for suggesting that 'the time has come to have 16 children' – a statement (many view it as bold and symbolic) that reflects demographic concerns. Andhra Pradesh too has seen calls to boost fertility rates in the wake of fears that if the TFR dips below 2.0, population decline could soon follow. The NFHS is a crucial nationwide initiative by the Government of India. Conducted across all states and union territories, it gathers data on health, nutrition, education, gender equality and population trends by directly interviewing households. Policymakers use these insights to formulate targeted and effective public policies. While India takes the global crown for population, these numbers suggest that the country is faced with the dual challenge of managing growth in addition to addressing urban fertility slowdowns. Will Chennai continue to lead the baby boom among metros? Or will policy shifts spark new trends across states? Only time and the next survey will offer answers to the questions.
India Today
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Movie ticket prices to reduce in Tamil Nadu ahead of Thug Life release. Here's how
The Tamil Nadu government slashed the Local Bodies Entertainment Tax (LBET) from 8.6 per cent to 4 per cent. This move comes after Kamal Haasan appealed to the government, emphasising the struggles that the Tamil film industry is going through. This order will come to fruition ahead of the release of 'Thug Life', which will hit theatres on June Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) thanked and expressed their gratitude to MK Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. They also thanked Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Minister for Tamil Development and Information Thiru MP actor-producer Kamal Haasan appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to cut down on the tax, while stressing the financial struggles faced by the Tamil film industry in recent times, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. The revised order, which was issued under the Tamil Nadu Local Authorities Entertainments Tax Act, 2017, will be reflected in the ticket pricing. Earlier, local body tax was priced at 8.6 per move is expected to increase footfall in theatres and reduce the pressure that producers and exhibitors have been facing. The film industry has been struggling financially due to rising production producers and distributors welcomed this decision and expressed their relief. This move will help Kamal Haasan's upcoming film, 'Thug Life,' directed by Mani Ratnam and upcoming movies in the state.
New Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Centre urges RBI to shield small gold loan borrowers; Tamil Nadu CM Stalin welcomes move
CHENNAI: Following concerns raised, mainly from Tamil Nadu, that the proposed norms for gold loans issued by the Reserve Bank of India will seriously affect small borrowers, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) functioning under the Union Ministry of Finance on Friday said that it has suggested to the RBI to ensure that the requirements of small gold loan borrowers are not adversely affected. Leaders of parties across the political spectrum in Tamil Nadu had expressed concerns over the draft norms. Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday wrote a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, requesting her urgent intervention as the rules would disrupt access to credit, especially for farmers, and affect rural economy. He objected in particular to the rule to prohibit banks from accepting gold as security for agricultural loans of up to Rs 2 lakh. A statement from DFS on Friday said the new guidelines — Draft Directions on Lending Against Gold Collateral — will need time to be implemented at the field level and hence may be suitable for implementation only from January 1, 2026. It further said it 'has suggested that small ticket borrowers below `2 lakh may be excluded from the requirements of these proposed directions to ensure timely and speedy disbursement of loans for such small borrowers'. Welcoming the announcement, CM Stalin said protecting the interests of small borrowers and ensuring timely and accessible credit to them have been his consistent demands. The CM also emphasised that such policies, having a significant impact on the poor, should be arrived at after prior consultation with states.
New Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Tamil Nadu CM Stalin reviews environmental impact of MSC ELSA 3 shipwreck
CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday chaired a high-level review meeting at the secretariat to address the environmental impact of the MSC ELSA 3 shipwreck off the Kochi coast. The Liberian-flagged cargo vessel capsized 38 nautical miles off Kerala, releasing plastic nurdles, fuel, and other hazardous materials into the sea. Due to the southwest monsoon, debris washed ashore along parts of Kerala and the west coast of Kanniyakumari district. The meeting focused on safe disposal of plastic nurdles along the southern coastal districts of Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Ramanathapuram. An environmental impact assessment is being done by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), in coordination with the National Institute of Ocean Technology and other expert agencies. The fisheries department has restricted fishing activities in affected areas and is investigating the possibility of nurdle ingestion by marine species. District collectors, under the guidance of the State Disaster Management Authority, have been directed to coordinate with the police and volunteers for safe clean-up, a release said. While no hazardous materials have reached Tamil Nadu shores so far, the chief minister has ordered officials to ensure continous monitoring, conduct both short- and long-term impact studies, and expedite assessments of marine life health. Stalin highlighted the importance of protecting the region's marine ecosystem, drawing parallel with the 2021 X-Press Pearl disaster off the coast of Sri Lanka. TN constitutes committee, seeks public opinion on bus fare revision Chennai: The state government has issued a notification inviting public opinion on a proposed hike in bus fare. A committee headed by the transport commissioner has also been constituted to examine the proposal, following a directive from the Madras High Court. The court issued the order while hearing a petition filed by the Private Bus Operators Association seeking a fare revision. As per the notification, public can send their comments by post to the office of the transport commissioner in Guindy.
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Stalin to hold 20-km roadshow in Madurai on June 1
The ruling DMK will hold its general council meeting in Madurai on June 1 where party president and Chief minister M K Stalin is expected to hold a 20-km roadshow and sound the poll bugle for the 2026 assembly elections. Stalin on Friday wrote to his cadre that DMK is fighting against the BJP-led Union government against various issues for the state while he criticised the AIADMK mortgaging the rights of Tamil Nadu. The DMK has set a target to win 200 out of 234 assembly seats along with its allies. 'The party's general assembly will be meeting in Madurai with several serious discussions , including heartfelt opinions from general assembly members and decisions that will determine Indian politics and the development of Tamil Nadu,' Stalin said in his letter inviting cadre for the mega event. 'What should we do? What is our duty? What is our goal? Let's finalize it. Let's ensure the party's victory in 2026 and the continuation of good governance in Tamil Nadu.' Stalin said that his party's government does not have the habit of pawning state rights to the Union government for office like previous rulers in a veiled attack against the AIADMK. 'Even if the Union government refuses to provide funds for education, we are spending state government funds on education with the assurance that the bilingual policy given by Anna (DMK founder C N Annadurai) will remain here.... People of Tamil Nadu want this good governance to continue. The opposition parties, who cannot criticize the Dravidian model of governance, are trying hard to recover from their defeat by fabricating anything, spreading slander, and spreading fake news. The opposition parties, individually, in alliances, and holding secret consultations, have been engaged in propaganda efforts against us in the media and on social media.' Stalin also responded that concerns raised by him in his letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman regarding RBI draft guidelines on gold loans has been addressed. 'Protecting the interests of small borrowers, especially those seeking loans below Rs. 2 lakh such as farmers and daily earners and ensuring timely and accessible credit has been my consistent demand,' Stalin said. While appreciating the positive consideration given to this issue, we emphasize that such policies having significant impact on poor should be arrived after due prior consultation with States.
