TheBellSite

Weird,

After having lived in this city for almost 10 years and seeing how crowded it is, I’m more than a little surprised that the government would propose such a program.

Taiwan is taking drastic action to address its record low birth rate by paying couples to have babies.

The cost of having a baby is putting couples off in Taiwan

The government in the capital Taipei said it would give 20,000 Taiwan dollars (£429) for every newborn from 2011, plus monthly subsidies to lower-income families with children under five.

“We hope the comprehensive plan will let young people feel more relaxed about having children,” Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin said.

“As a mayor, my top priority is to tackle the issues of low birth rates and an ageing population,” he added.

Birth rates in Taipei were at an all-time low in 2009 with fewer than 20,000 babies born.

The drop of 40% from a decade ago is attributed to financial concerns, especially the rising cost of childcare.

This incentive is the latest in a series of proposals to encourage births and the programme is expected to cost three billion Taiwan dollars annually.

The city government is concerned that a decrease in population will lead to serious social and economic problems in the future.

The island’s birth rate stood at 8.29 per 1,000 people last year, according to official figures.

That compares with a global average of more than 20 births per 1,000 people, according to the United Nations.

Taipei Government To Pay Couples To Have Babies As Birth Rate Reaches Record Low | World News | Sky News.