Assam Government Enforces Revised Population and Women Empowerment Policy
New Amendments to Population Policy in Assam
Guwahati, Dec 6: The Assam government has officially announced the Population and Women Empowerment Policy (Amendment), 2025, which reinforces the two-child policy for eligibility in government jobs, self-help groups, and electoral participation.
However, for individuals belonging to Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), Tea Garden Tribes, and the Moran and Motok communities, the limit has been adjusted to three children. These changes will be implemented immediately.
As per the notification released by the Health and Family Welfare Department, only candidates with two children will qualify for government positions, and current government employees are expected to comply with the two-child policy to set an example for the community.
Additionally, individuals who marry before reaching the legal age will be disqualified from government employment and state-sponsored job creation programs.
The revised limits for ST, SC, Tea Garden Tribes, and the Moran and Motok communities will apply to both employment opportunities and self-help group incentives.
Self-Help Groups that adhere to the two-child policy will be eligible for special government grants, which will also extend to families with three children from the specified communities.
A crucial aspect of the amendment addresses electoral eligibility, indicating the government's intention to legislate against individuals with more than two children from running for Panchayat and municipal elections. Similar regulations may be established for other statutory bodies.
To foster an educated society, the government may also introduce minimum educational qualifications for candidates in local elections.
The notification further states that Assam will request the Central government to enforce family planning norms for MLAs, proposing the two-child standard for all candidates in the State Legislature. MLAs who do not comply with this norm may face disqualification and be barred from future elections.
The policy specifies that all incentives and restrictions will apply moving forward and only to those with two living children. The two-child rule encompasses both biological and legally adopted children. Parents cannot evade this rule by disowning a child, as this is deemed a deliberate act not eligible for exemption.
Cases of multiple births, such as twins or triplets, as well as situations involving differently-abled children, may be considered for exemptions on a case-by-case basis.
The increased three-child limit for ST, SC, Tea Garden Tribes, and the Moran and Motok communities has been uniformly applied across all relevant aspects of the policy.
The amendment, endorsed by Commissioner and Secretary Dr. P Ashok Babu, is effective immediately. The Mission Director of the National Health Mission, Assam, has been instructed to publish the notification on the NHM/Health and Family Welfare Department's website.