Telangana Faces Alarming Fertility Decline; Experts Urge Immediate Action to Avoid Demographic Crisis

Hyderabad: Telangana is facing a critical decline in its fertility rate, raising concerns about the future of its population. While Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has asked people to have more children, Telangana also may have to ask its people to have more babies.

The state’s fertility rate has fallen to between 1.7 and 1.9, well below the replacement rate of 2.1, which is needed to maintain a stable population. This is alarming as the state’s fertility rate is continuing to fall, sparking urgent discussions on how to address the issue.

Dr Sangita Reddy of Apollo Hospitals said that the fertility crisis in India is widespread, with 31 out of 36 states and Union Territories, including Telangana, reporting birth rates below the replacement rate. “India is facing a demographic challenge, and Telangana is no exception. The declining birth rate is a serious issue that needs immediate attention,” she said. Experts warn that without proper interventions, the state’s demographic balance could be severely impacted in future.

Dr Durga G. Rao, Co-Founder and Medical Director of Oasis Fertility, said that Telangana is at risk of becoming the global epicentre of fertility problems. “Many couples in both urban and semi-urban areas of Telangana are struggling to have children. Factors ranging from lifestyle changes to natural factors are behind the decline in fertility,” Dr Durga said.

She stressed that timely education and intervention could help many couples facing these issues. The once manageable fertility issues, affecting one in six couples in India, have now worsened to one in four, reflecting the growing problem in Telangana.

South Indian states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala which tackled India’s population problem, may end up with reduced representation in Parliament after the delimitation of constituencies in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies after 2026. It may be mentioned here that Chandrababu said on October 19, “The population growth rate in the state should increase. Everyone should think about this, and families should aim to have at least two or more children.

In the past, I advocated population control, but now we need to increase the birth rate. The AP Government is planning to bring a law allowing only people with two or more children to contest local body elections.”