Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said for the development of the minority community they need to have fewer children.
Minister Sarma’s comments came two days after Assam government in a cabinet meeting decided to roll out ‘Two-child norm’.
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As per ‘Two-child norm’ people with more than two children will not be eligible for government jobs after January 1, 2021.
An Act in this regard was passed by the Assam Assembly in September 2017.
“You cannot remain poor all the time. If you want the minority population to progress, their children to have education, then they should be made aware of not having more than two children,” Sarma said.
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Sarma said this policy is not about the majority and the minority, but about government employees.
“It is wrong to assume that the minority community will always have more children — it is bad to make such assumptions,” he said.
Sarma said Instead of encouraging them to have more children, it is the collective responsibility to educate them.
“We should work with the minorities and try to impress upon them to have fewer children,” the minister added.
Sarma further said any government employee marrying before the legal age will also face disqualification.
“As a government employee, you have to be a role model for your people. If you go to a village and tell them to have two children, but you yourself have six, who will listen to you?” he asked.