Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Urges Couples to Have Children Soon

Says Delimitation Unfairly Penalises States for Controlling Birth Rates

March 5, 2025

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has urged the people of the state to have children immediately after marriage, arguing that the state’s success in family planning has put it at a disadvantage in terms of political representation. The call comes amid concerns over the upcoming delimitation exercise, which will redraw parliamentary constituencies based on population.

Addressing a newlywed couple at a recent wedding in the state, Stalin urged them to have children without delay and to give them Tamil names, according to PTI. He said this was necessary to ensure that Tamil Nadu does not lose its influence in national politics.

He warned that Tamil Nadu could lose up to eight parliamentary seats if the delimitation process is carried out strictly based on population, The News Minute reported.

The DMK and other parties in Tamil Nadu have long argued that states should not be unfairly penalised for controlling birth rates while incentivising higher population growth.

Delimitation, which redraws parliamentary and assembly constituencies based on population shifts, was last implemented after the 1971 Census but was frozen in 1976 during the Emergency. The freeze was later extended until the 2001 Census, allowing states to focus on population control without losing political representation.

The next delimitation exercise is expected after 2026.

The Chief Minister had also called for an all-party meeting to discuss the delimitation issue on March 5, where he invited 40 registered political parties to deliberate on the implications.

One of the factors behind an anticipated decline in the population of Tamil Nadu is the state’s significantly low fertility rate, which has dropped from 3.9 in 1971 to 1.4 in 2020—well below the replacement level of 2.1.

One of the most significant reasons is the region’s strong emphasis on education, particularly for women. Higher levels of female literacy and increased access to higher education have contributed to delayed marriages and childbirth, leading to lower fertility rates. Women in South India, on average, marry later compared to their counterparts in the North, which naturally reduces the window for childbearing.

Further, urbanisation and industrialisation have changed lifestyle patterns, with families increasingly prioritising financial stability before having children. The rising cost of living, especially in cities like Chennai and Bengaluru, has made couples more cautious about the number of children they can afford to raise.

Moreover, dual-income households have become more common, with women actively participating in the workforce. This has led to a shift in priorities, where career growth often takes precedence over early or multiple childbirths.

Government policies in Tamil Nadu and other southern states have historically promoted family planning more aggressively than in the North. Tamil Nadu was one of the first states to introduce targeted population control measures, including access to contraceptives, sterilisation programmes, and awareness campaigns. Unlike in many northern states, where cultural and religious influences sometimes discourage contraception, South India has generally been more accepting of family planning initiatives.

Cultural attitudes towards family size have also evolved. In contrast to regions where having more children is still seen as an economic or social advantage, South Indian families increasingly view a smaller family as a means to provide better opportunities for their children. A shift in aspirations—from agrarian livelihoods, where larger families were once considered beneficial, to urban middle-class settings where quality education and healthcare are prioritised—has reinforced this trend.

Healthcare advancements have further played a role by reducing infant mortality rates, which has traditionally been a reason for larger families in some regions. When parents are confident that their children will survive and thrive, they are less likely to have additional children as a safety measure.