New Delhi, June 2 -- Two pieces of demographic news hit the headlines in the past few weeks. One, latest sample registration rystem (SRS) report based on 2024 data revealed a nationwide decline in fertility rates. Provisional data, released by the National Family Health Survey 2023-34 on Friday, mirrored this decline. Two, the Andhra Pradesh government proposed incentives in cash and kind for parents who opt to have a third and fourth child. Such a state-sponsored program to incentivize births is a complete turnaround for a nation with a long history of family planning and population control.The reason? Total fertility rate (TFR) at the national level is now at 1.9, down from 2.9 in 1998-99. While declining fertility is in line with long-...