In a unique initiative, the Assam Government on Sunday declared that people marrying before attaining the legal age for matrimony and couples having more than two children will not be eligible for the state governments jobs.
"Anyone having more than 2 children, marrying before attaining legal age won't be eligible for Assam govt. jobs under new population policy," said state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while unveiling details of the policy's draft.
The main aim to implement this policy is the development of the people below poverty line, decrease in percentage of child death, maternal deaths etc.
In India the two-child norm, is rarely followed strictly. While, the legal age to marry is 21 for men, and 18 for women and it attracts punishment whenever such incidents are caught.
The policy, by the state government is a part of the ruling BJP's vision document for the state which is considered to be an attempt to control the population of the Bengali-speaking Muslim immigrants in the state.
As per the 2011 census of the state, which has a population of more than 31 million, witnessed the highest increase in Muslim population from 30.9% in 2001 to 34.2% in a decade.
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