New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- China once punished couples for having more than one child. Under its old one-child rule, some parents paid huge fines, up to 100,000 yuan ( Rs.12 lakh). It was nearly triple their yearly income. Officials even forced abortions and surgeries. But, now, China wants young people to have more children.

To encourage this, the government will give 3,600 yuan ( Rs.44,000) every year for each child under three, retroactively effective from January 1.

Beijing plans to spend 90 billion yuan (more than Rs.1 lakh crore) to help 20 million families this year. Earlier, only local governments gave such support. This is the first time the Central government is giving a national subsidy.

However, experts say this may not increase ...