Naidu says fathers must share equal responsibility in child-rearing

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched the Pulse Polio campaign by administering polio drops to children and urged parents to ensure timely immunisation. He also advocated reviving the joint family system and encouraged families to have two or more children

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu marked National Immunisation Day on Sunday by administering polio drops to children at his camp office in Amaravati. Interacting with parents on the occasion, Naidu called for a revival of the joint family system and stressed that fathers must share equal responsibility in bringing up children.

The CM said children should no longer be viewed “as a burden but as a source of wealth and prosperity.” “Husbands and men in the household should take responsibility for raising children. Childbirth, child-rearing and looking after children should not be considered the sole responsibility of mothers,” he said in a press release.

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Recalling that grandparents and other family members played a significant role in raising children in the past, he said the joint family system had contributed immensely to nurturing them with values, and expressed the hope that such a system would make a comeback.

The CM said the mindset of viewing children as a burden must change, adding that the government was encouraging families to have two or more children and was actively creating awareness among parents to this end.

Naidu urged parents to ensure their children receive all vaccines provided under the government’s immunisation programme on schedule.

Family Welfare Department officials informed the chief minister that the state aims to administer polio drops to nearly 50 lakh children below the age of five during the three-day Pulse Polio campaign.