Srinagar, Aug. 14 -- Jammu and Kashmir has reached a strange demographic milestone. Its fertility rate has fallen to 1.5 children per woman, well below the 2.1 needed to replace the existing population.

A figure buried in a parliamentary report now points towards a future that could be visible in Kashmir's homes, schools, hospitals and workplaces way before anyone is ready for it.

For years, fewer children were exactly what public policy sought. Better maternal healthcare, near-universal institutional deliveries, wider access to family planning and rising female literacy helped families choose smaller households.

The achievement is real. Women gained greater control over reproduction, while healthcare reached deeper into villages and r...