At a time when population control measures in places like Uttar Pradesh and Lakshadweep are being widely debated, a diocese in Kerala is offering sops like monthly assistance, education facility and medical care to families with five or more children.
Concerns over the decreasing population have prompted the Eparchy of Pala in Kottayam under the Syro Malabar Catholic church to make the offers part of Year of the Family campaign proclaimed by Pope Francis.
According to messages being circulated by the diocese through social media, couples married after the year 2000 and having more than five children will be given monthly financial assistance of Rs.1,500 through the Family Apostolate of the diocese.
Fourth child and children born thereafter can study at the St. Joseph's College of Engineering and Technology at Pala with scholarship. Free medical care will be given for delivery of fourth children onwards at the Mar Sleeva Medicity at Pala, said the pamphlet being circulated on social media.
Director of the Family Apostolate Father Joseph Kuttiankal told DH that an online meeting of elderly people held on Sunday decided to offer the assistance to families on the basis of Year of the Family campaign proclaimed by Pope Francis. Decrease in the community's population has been a cause for concern for quite some time. Moreover, many large families were facing financial stress owing to Covid lockdown. Hence the assistance were announced.
He also said that at present most families had two children. Only some families had more three or more children.
As per 2011 census, Christian's constituted 18.38 percent of Kerala population, while Hindus constituted 54.72 percent and Muslim 26.56 percent.