Srinagar, Sep 20: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para has proposed a private member’s bill in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly seeking a comprehensive policy framework to address declining fertility while strengthening healthcare, education and social support for women and adolescent girls.
Titled the ‘Protection of Kashmir’s Future Generations from Demographic Decline and Advancement of Women, Adolescent Girls, Maternal and Child Health Bill, 2026’, the proposed legislation has been forwarded to the Assembly Secretariat for consideration during the 10-day Autumn Session beginning September 21.
The Bill is also described as the ‘Maa-Beti Aur Aane Wali Naslein Bachao Bill, 2026’. It seeks to combine measures for women’s health and empowerment with voluntary and non-coercive measures aimed at addressing the long-term implications of sustained below-replacement fertility.
The statement of objects and reasons identifies declining fertility and changing family structures as significant demographic developments in Jammu and Kashmir.
Citing the National Family Health Survey-5, the Bill states that the total fertility rate in Jammu and Kashmir is around 1.4 children per woman, below the conventional replacement-level fertility rate of 2.1.
It says the demographic transition could affect the future age structure of society, inter-generational support systems, rural communities, labour-force availability, social security and the sustainability of families and communities.
The Bill also links the demographic changes to increasing educational and economic pressures on young people, delays in marriage and childbearing, and broader concerns relating to the health and well-being of women and adolescent girls.
A central proposal is the creation of a voluntary, non-coercive and inclusive Family Support and Demographic Stabilisation Scheme.
The scheme is intended to reduce economic and social barriers associated with family formation.
The proposed support could include financial assistance, educational scholarships, childcare support, maternity assistance, housing-related assistance, nutritional support, healthcare and crèche facilities.
The Bill also proposes graded financial and educational assistance for eligible families raising two or more children, including additional social-security and scholarship support.
On sex selection, the proposed legislation calls for strict, transparent and time-bound enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act.
It proposes stronger monitoring of ultrasound and diagnostic facilities through periodic inspections, record verification and compliance audits.
Violations would be dealt with under the applicable Central law.
The Bill also proposes a confidential mechanism for reporting suspected sex-selection activities.
The identity of complainants would be protected to the extent permitted by law, while the government could prescribe a reward scheme for information leading to successful enforcement, subject to safeguards against false or malicious complaints.
It calls for sustained public-awareness campaigns against sex selection, female foeticide and discrimination against the girl child.
The proposed awareness efforts would also cover dowry-related practices and denial of education to girls.
To monitor demographic changes, the Bill proposes the establishment of a Jammu and Kashmir Demographic Research and Monitoring Cell.
The proposed body would study fertility trends, age structure, marriage patterns, maternal and child health, female education, migration, workforce participation and economic pressures affecting family formation.
It would also publish an annual Jammu and Kashmir Demographic and Family Well-being Report, creating an institutional mechanism for monitoring demographic and family-related indicators.
Another major proposal is a Kashmir Girls and Women’s Health Mission, which would coordinate community awareness and programmes in schools and colleges, along with menstrual-health campaigns, PCOS awareness, nutrition and anaemia programmes, reproductive-health camps, maternal and child-health awareness, educational continuation and demographic research.
The Bill also proposes a Jammu and Kashmir Council for Women, Girls and Future Generations, supported by district-level committees.
These committees would monitor issues including the availability of free sanitary products, maternal-health services, education re-entry, child healthcare and implementation of government schemes.
The proposed legislation acknowledges that implementing the framework would require expenditure from public funds.
The areas of expenditure identified include reproductive-health clinics, sanitary products, vending machines, menstrual-waste facilities, health screening, educational scholarships and re-entry programmes, childcare facilities, maternal and child-health services, community outreach and demographic research.
For this purpose, the Bill proposes adequate budgetary allocations and a dedicated Women, Girls and Future Generations Fund.
Expenditure from the proposed fund would remain subject to applicable financial rules and audit.
A specific provision calls for establishing a 100-bed Maternity and Child-Care Hospital in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.
The proposed hospital would provide antenatal and obstetric services, high-risk pregnancy care, emergency obstetric care, neonatal intensive care, paediatric care, diagnostics, ultrasonography, postnatal care, breastfeeding support and maternal nutrition services.
The Bill’s policy declaration sets out a broader approach focused on removing barriers faced by girls, women and families.
It proposes ensuring that girls do not miss school because they cannot afford menstrual products and that young women are not forced to abandon education because of marriage or motherhood.
It states that the objective is not to control women or dictate family size, but to remove economic, educational, healthcare and social barriers affecting motherhood, education, healthcare and family life.
