No jobs in Assam for candidate with more than two kids

More than two years after it adopted a new population policy, BJP-led government in Assam decided to bar candidates with more than two children to apply for government jobs.

The new norm, which was approved by the state Cabinet on Monday night will come into effect from January 1, 2021.

A minister, who attended the meet said that the decision was taken as part of government's small family norms in order to check pressure of population on the state's resources.

The Assembly had passed the “Population and Women Empowerment Policy of Assam” in September 2017. One of its objectives was to vigorously promote the small family norm in the state.

With 3.29 crore population, Assam's average family size is 5.5, which is higher than the national average.

In March last year, the state Assembly amended its panchayat act, barring candidates with more than two children to contest panchayat elections.

Although the state government termed it a move to promote small family, organisations representing minority groups suspected that it could be aimed at the state's 33% Muslim population. Large family, with many having more than five children among Muslims living in riverine areas is a cause of concern for the policy makers.

Land for the landless

The state Cabinet also decided to adopt a new land policy that will make the landless indigenous people eligible for 3 bighas (approx 43,200 sq ft) of land for farming and half a bigha for building a house. But the government imposed a policy that the beneficiary can sell the land only after 15 years of allotment.

The state government had informed the Assembly in February 2018 that the state had 3.26 lakh landless families. Giving land to landless indigenous people is one of the major promises of the BJP, which formed its first coalition government in Assam in May 2016.