UP, Bihar population welcome sign, not a problem: Chandrababu Naidu

Stating that many countries across the world are struggling with an ageing population, he said he also wants the southern states to promote population growth. He, however, refused to take a stand on delimitation, since, he said, there has been no Bill yet and that he would not comment on assumptions.

“The ageing population is an issue. Europe, Japan and China have an ageing problem. In North India, Bihar and UP population is a welcome sign rather than a problem. India has a demographic dividend. Promotion of population is important. What we need is demographic management,” Naidu said.

The TDP chief’s comments come after Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin recently urged young couples to have children “immediately” after marriage as higher population is a criterion to get more MPs “as the delimitation exercise would be on the basis of population”.

Regarding a question on the present controversy over Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the three-language formula, Naidu said that it is “better to learn Hindi” for mingling with people in the country. He also said that he wants to promote English for international exposure and that Telugu is promoted in his state as the mother tongue.

He said that he was an advocate of learning not just three but multiple languages.

At present, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government is at loggerheads with the BJP-ruled Centre over its NEP 2020, which has retained the three-language formula with fewer restrictions on the choices of languages. The row erupted after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan indicated that Tamil Nadu would not be provided funds under the Samagra Shiksha programme for school education until it implements the NEP and adopts its three-language rule. Stalin responded, saying that Tamils would not accept such a “blackmail”, asking “which constitutional provision” made the three-language formula mandatory. The DMK has alleged that this formula was merely a guise for “Hindi imposition”.

“Today, the biggest problem for me is petitions on land grabbing. Even forest land has been grabbed. We want to deal with it firmly. So, the Andhra Pradesh land grabbing provision Bill has been passed,” Naidu told reporters. He added that he also discussed with Shah a Bill to counter drugs, including their cultivation, in the state. He asserted that there would be zero tolerance towards drugs in the state.

“We have discussed the destruction of Andhra Pradesh under the previous government in an unprecedented manner. The debt is Rs 10 lakh crore,” Naidu said. He said that during his meeting with Sitharaman, he discussed the intra-linking of rivers in the state so that drought-prone areas of Rayalaseema is benefitted.

During his meeting with Gadkari, Naidu raised the under-construction NHs in Andhra Pradesh and the 189-km outer ring road in Amravati having eight lanes and service roads. He assured Gadkari of all cooperation from the state government.