New Delhi, Oct 11: Church officials say the Roman Catholic church in southern India is urging members to have more children and is offering free schooling, medical care and even cash bonuses for large families.
The strategy comes as India's population tops 1.2 billion, making India the second most populous country in the world after China, and runs counter to a national government policy to limit family size.
But in the southern state of Kerala, where Christians have long been a large, important minority, church authorities say the Christian population is dropping sharply.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India said Tuesday that could negatively affect the community. AP
