Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Sep 20
Jammu and Kashmir lawmaker Waheed-ur-Rehman Para has proposed legislation seeking measures to address declining fertility while expanding healthcare and social support for women and adolescent girls.
The private member’s bill, titled the “Protection of Kashmir’s Future Generations from Demographic Decline and Advancement of Women, Adolescent Girls, Maternal and Child Health Bill, 2026”, has been submitted to the Assembly Secretariat for consideration during the autumn session.
The proposal is also referred to as the “Maa-Beti Aur Aane Wali Naslein Bachao Bill, 2026”.
The bill cites National Family Health Survey-5 data putting Jammu and Kashmir’s total fertility rate at about 1.4 children per woman, below the conventional replacement level of 2.1.
It proposes a voluntary Family Support and Demographic Stabilisation Scheme offering measures including financial assistance, scholarships, childcare, maternity support, housing assistance, nutrition and healthcare.
The bill also proposes additional financial and educational support for eligible families with two or more children.
It calls for stricter enforcement of India’s law prohibiting sex selection, including inspections and compliance audits of ultrasound and diagnostic facilities.
A proposed Jammu and Kashmir Demographic Research and Monitoring Cell would track fertility, age structure, marriage patterns, maternal and child health, migration, workforce participation and economic factors affecting family formation.
The legislation also proposes a Kashmir Girls and Women’s Health Mission covering menstrual health, nutrition, anaemia, reproductive health, maternal and child health and educational continuation.
It calls for a Jammu and Kashmir Council for Women, Girls and Future Generations and district-level committees to monitor implementation of related schemes.
The bill proposes a dedicated fund to finance healthcare, scholarships, childcare, community outreach and demographic research.
It also calls for a 100-bed maternity and child-care hospital in Pulwama district, offering obstetric, neonatal and paediatric services.
The bill says its objective is not to control women or dictate family size but to address economic, educational, healthcare and social barriers affecting women and families.
