BJP MLA Rajeshwar Singh has called for the introduction of an ‘Area-Wise Demographic Policy’ (ADP) in Uttar Pradesh, citing what he described as a growing demographic “imbalance” between Hindu and Muslim populations in the state.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the legislator from Sarojini Nagar, a former Enforcement Directorate officer and Supreme Court lawyer, recommended that the government frame a policy aimed at ensuring balanced population growth, women’s empowerment, and social harmony through focused efforts in education, health, family planning, and migration management.
Referring to Census data from 1951 to 2011, Singh noted that while the Hindu population share in Uttar Pradesh fell by around five percentage points, the Muslim population increased by a similar margin over the same period.
“Uttar Pradesh lies at the heart of India’s demographic balance. If this balance continues to shift unchecked, both social harmony and development will be affected,” Singh wrote. “The ADP proposal is not against any community; it aims to build an educated, equitable, and harmonious Uttar Pradesh.”
Under the proposed policy, districts and blocks would be classified into ‘Green’, ‘Amber’, and ‘Red’ zones based on five key indicators: total fertility rate (TFR), child marriage prevalence, age at first birth, female education levels, and migration balance.
To encourage progress, Singh suggested incentivising districts that achieve a TFR below 2.1 or reduce child marriage rates to under 10%, by granting them an additional 5% in development funds. He also proposed a Rs 10,000 direct benefit transfer for families whose daughters complete education up to Class 12, and a new award, ‘Jan Sankhya Santulan Puraskar’—for Panchayats demonstrating exceptional family planning outcomes.
Further, he recommended that housing and tax benefits be prioritised for families with two or fewer children, while families with higher fertility rates could receive “limited” priority in welfare schemes. Singh also called for monthly awareness drives and audit reviews by district magistrates in areas lagging behind on demographic indicators.
According to Singh, these steps would help foster a balanced population structure, improve maternal and child health, advance girls’ education and women’s empowerment, curb irregular migration, and strengthen social cohesion. He emphasised that the proposed ADP would promote data-driven governance that transcends caste and religious lines.
