Have 7/8 children, MLA tells Meitei women
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 29 2023: Stating that the birth rate of Meiteis is very low and stands at a shocking 1.6 percent, MLA and PDA chairman Lourembam Rameshwar has urged Meitei women to bear at least 7 to 8 children each to save the community from extinction.

L Rameshwar gave the clarion call while extending monetary help to a displaced pregnant woman presently taking shelter at a relative's house in Langol.

Other eatables were also provided to the woman during the visit accompanied by volunteers of Salaicha Pibarel Punshi Marup (SPPM) and staff of PDA.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, MLA Rameshwar informed that they have extended financial assistance of Rs 44,000 to Naobi, who is from Umathel and married to a person from the same village.

She is already a mother to four sons and a daughter and she is expecting another in January next.

The help has been extended as an encouragement to the lady and to enable safe delivery of the next child in January.

Foods including eggs, milk, rice and other eatables have been provided to keep her healthy.

The MLA also assured of providing Rs 1 lakh if Naobi delivers another child making her mother of seven kids.

He also reminded the '7 Years Devastation' wherein the number of Meiteis was drastically reduced due to the onslaught by the Burmese.

It was only after our forefathers during that time managed to parent six to seven children that the population of Meiteis increased and were able to save Manipur.

While encouraging the Meitei women to bear at least 7 to 8 children, the MLA said that we should not be afraid that we will not be able to groom such big family.

The hesitancy to have more children is due to lack of work culture which we need to overcome, he stressed.

Further stating that reduction of birth rate to 1.6 percent is considered to be the point where a community is on the verge of extinction, Rameshwar called for increasing the birth rate of Meitei.

We also need not follow the family planning policy of the union government as our population is very less as compared to other communities across the nation.

We need to protect our own community from extinction, the MLA said.

MLA Rameshwar also appealed to all to inform of any woman having many children so that help could be extended with the collective efforts of youth.

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