Thick winter fog once again hit flight operations in Delhi and parts of northern India, prompting major airlines including IndiGo, Air India and Delhi Airport to issue advisories for passengers on Sunday, January 18. With visibility dropping sharply in the early hours
IDBI Bank on Saturday (January 17, 2026) reported almost flat profit at ₹1,935 crore for the third quarter ended December 2025. The LIC-controlled bank reported a net profit of ₹1,908 crore in the year-ago period. However, the bank's total income declined to ₹8
J-K Weather Update: Jammu and Kashmir is facing intense cold with sub-zero night temperatures across the Valley and a sharp 96 per cent rainfall deficit in early January, raising concerns for farmers, horticulture and water supply as people await the season's first major snowfall
The Congress in Rajasthan has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of orchestrating mass deletion of voters during the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, reported The Indian Express on Sunday. This came after a video, showing a booth-level officer alleging that he was being
Motorola will launch its new Moto Watch in India on January 23, featuring a 1.4 inch OLED display, IP68 rating, and advanced health tracking feature. The watch supports Moto AI and dual-frequency GPS. Motorola has confirmed that its new Moto Watch will be launching in India alongside the Motorola
Will China's condom tax help improve birth rates? Here's what experts say
Will China's 13% tax on condoms and contraceptives help improve birth rates? Here's what experts say
In its latest attempt to improve the rate of 1.0 children per woman, China has imposed taxes on condoms, birth control pills and other contraceptives as the once the world's most populous country struggles with anaemic fertility rates.
As of January 1, according to The Conversation report, these items were subject to a 13 per cent value-added tax. On the other hand, services such as child care and matchmaking remain duty-free.
This comes a year after China allocated 90 billion yuan ($12.7 billion) for a national child care programme, giving families a one-off payment of around 3,600 yuan (over $500) for every child aged three or under.
In the report by Dudley L Poston Jr, an award-winning sociology professor at Texas A&M University, said that he does not expect these new moves to have much, if any, effect on reversing the fertility rate decline to one of the world's lowest and far below the 2.1 “replacement rate” needed to maintain a stable population.
Dudley has studied China's demography for almost 40 years.
He said that in many ways, the 13 per cent tax on contraceptives is symbolic. “The new tax is not at all a major expense, adding just a few dollars a month.”
For the math: A packet of condoms now costs about 50 yuan (about $7), and a month's supply of birth control pills averages around 130 yuan ($19). The average cost of raising a child in China is estimated at around 538,000 yuan (over $77,000) to age 18. The cost in urban areas is much higher.
Talking to the BBC, a 36-year-old father was not concerned over the condom price hike. “A box of condoms might cost an extra five yuan, maybe 10, at most 20. Over a year, that's just a few hundred yuan, completely affordable.”
Unfavourable headwinds
The Conversation report noted that the plight of China is partly of its own doing — for a couple of decades, it pushed for a one-child policy to get fertility rates down, and it worked, going from over 7.0 in the early 1960s to 1.5 in 2015.In 2015, the Chinese government abandoned the one-child policy, permitting couples to have two children. In May 2021, the two-child policy was abandoned in favour of a three-child policy.
The government had hoped that this would help create a baby boom, resulting in a sizable increase in the national fertility rate. However, the fertility rate continued to decline to 1.2 in 2021 and 1.0 in 2024.
China's policies over the years
The report noted that China's historic programmes to push down fertility rates were successful because they were aided by wider societal changes — the policies were in force while China was modernising and moving toward becoming an industrial and urbanised society.However, today's policies, aimed at increasing the birth rate, are tangled in unfavourable societal headwinds — modernisation has led to better educational and work opportunities for women, a factor pushing many to put off having children.
In fact, the expert said that most of China's fertility reduction, especially since the 1990s, has been voluntary, more a result of modernisation than fertility-control policies.
Chinese couples are having fewer children due to higher living costs and educational expenses involved in having more than one child, he noted.
Above all, he said, China is one of the world's most expensive countries in which to raise a child, especially compared to an average income. School fees at all levels are higher than in many other countries.
What is the ‘low-fertility' trap
The “low-fertility trap” advanced by demographers in the 2000s holds that once a country's fertility rate drops below 1.5 or 1.4 – far higher than China's now stands – it is very difficult to increase it by 0.3 or more.The argument goes that fertility declines to these low levels are largely the result of changes in living standards and increasing opportunities for women.
Accordingly, the expert said that it is most unlikely that China's three-child policy will have any influence at all on raising the fertility rate. “And all my years of studying China's demographic trends lead me to believe that making contraceptives marginally more expensive will also have very little effect,” he said.
Source: LiveMint
Related Posts: Canada, China set for ‘historic’ gains from new partnership, says Mark Carney LTIMindtree bags $330 million contract from central tax department Nvidia suppliers stop H200 chip production after China blocks shipments China and Canada announce tariffs relief after a high-stakes meeting between Carney and Xi PM Modi pays homage to MGR on his birth anniversary This small post-meal habit can help lower blood sugar Nvidia H200 chip parts suppliers halt output after China blocks shipments Over 100 Students Fall Ill As Norovirus Grips South China School China's 'super embassy' plan in London triggers security fears and political storm China, Russia benefit from Trump's Greenland tariff threat, says EU
The programme covers nearly 400 organisations, including 305 academic institutions and 95 startups, and seeks to train thousands of students, researchers, and engineers across India. New Delhi: Over one lakh individuals have enrolled in India's chip design training programmes, with around 67
1 minutes ago
Indian space start-up Galaxeye is set to launch its first satellite, Mission Drishti, in early 2024. This satellite will combine optical and radar imaging for all-weather earth observation. The company plans to expand this into a constellation of ten satellites by 2030
1 minutes ago
Mrunal Thakur and Dhanush have been rumoured to be dating since last year, however, neither of them has confirmed or acknowledged the rumours. Meanwhile, recently, the actors hit the headlines after speculations about their wedding went viral
1 minutes ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off five new Amrit Bharat Express trains on Sunday, marking another major step in expanding India's long-distance rail network aimed at improving travel experience and connectivity for the common man
1 minutes ago
Vir Das has opened up about the decision he made while shooting for Happy Patel. The actor-comedian recently revealed that the sets of the film followed a strict no-cell phone policy, a move that he believes helped create a more productive work environment
1 minutes ago
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon on Saturday (January 17, 2026) confirmed he was not asked to be Federal Reserve chair, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump disputed a report saying he offered Mr. Dimon the role. Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Mr
1 minutes ago
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks come amid an ongoing legal battle between the Enforcement Directorate and the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a veiled attack on the Central government in the presence of the
1 minutes ago
US President Donald Trump's apparently coercive threat to force Western allies not to oppose his proposed annexation of Greenland, or face further damage to their trade with the US, is without both parallel and precedent. We've had some unusual and unexpected economic threats from President Trump
1 minutes ago
In its latest attempt to improve the rate of 1.0 children per woman, China has imposed taxes on condoms, birth control pills and other contraceptives as the once the world's most populous country struggles with anaemic fertility rates. As of January 1, according to The Conversation report
1 minutes ago
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has complemented these safety measures by deploying a specialized chef to oversee the players' nutritional intake. India's captain Shubman Gill has taken extraordinary measures to protect the national squad ahead of the third and final One Day
1 minutes ago
The Government has launched the new one-in-all salary account for central staff to cover banking, insurance, and cards at one stop. The Composite Salary Account Package was launched by the Department of Financial Services (DFS). All Central Government employees (Group A
1 minutes ago
AR Rahman recently found himself at the centre of controversy after describing Vicky Kaushal-starrer Chhaava as a “divisive" film. The composer's comments have now drawn a sharp response from actor-politician Kangana Ranaut, who accused Rahman of prejudice and bias
1 minutes ago
Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman sparked a flurry of political reactions after he suggested that he got lesser work in recent years possibly due to a “power shift” within the Hindi film industry which could be linked to a “communal thing
Just now
On January 12, the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) PSLV-C62 mission lifted off from Sriharikota carrying the EOS-N1 satellite along with 15 co-passenger satellites. Within minutes, ISRO said the mission had “encountered an anomaly during end of the PS3 stage”
Just now
Prime Minister Modi's remarks come as Congress suffered a crushing defeat in the recent BMC polls, winning just 24 seats while the BJP-Shinde alliance dominated with 118 seats (BJP 89, Shinde Sena 29). Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday took a swipe at the Congress
Just now
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched two new Amrit Bharat Express trains from Assam. He also initiated the Kaziranga elevated corridor project. This significant infrastructure development will enhance connectivity to Upper Assam. The project includes a wildlife corridor to protect animals and
Just now
Senior BJP leader and former Maharashtra minister Raj K Purohit, a prominent voice for north Indian communities in Mumbai, has passed away at the age of 71 following an illness. Purohit, who served as the party's city president and chief whip in the assembly
1 minutes ago
Investors can now bid for co-ownership of Srinagar Ke Veer, a successful franchise in the Indian Street Premier League. The team, co-owned by Akshay Kumar, has shown strong performance. This offers a chance to partner with the league and Akshay Kumar
1 minutes ago
Today Gold, Silver Rate January 18: Check 18, 22, 24 carat Gold prices in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata Gold has been regarded as one of the safest investments for many years because it has a proven track record of preserving wealth during periods of inflation and market volatility
Just now
Ahead of the 77th Republic Day, the Republic Day sales have begun on most major e-commerce platforms that are offering hefty discounts on various iPhone models. The phones that are currently being discounted range from the latest iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro
1 minutes ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said recent election results across the country clearly indicate that voters are rejecting the Congress's “negative politics" and increasingly placing their faith in the BJP for governance and development. Addressing a public gathering in Assam
1 minutes ago
Noted music composer A R Rahman shared a video post on his social media on Sunday, addressing the backlash following his comments in one of the recent interviews and said the intentions can "sometimes be misunderstood", but he didn't wish to cause any pain with his words
1 minutes ago
Eight separate cases have been lodged in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi against those allegedly spreading AI-generated images and misleading information on social media regarding the redevelopment work at the Manikarnika Ghat, officials said. Also Read | Protest erupts against demolition drive at
1 minutes ago
India's Under-19 team avoided a major setback at the ICC U-19 World Cup, thanks to a sensational bowling performance from young pacer Vihaan Malhotra, who emerged as the unlikely hero in a rain-affected thriller against Bangladesh. India's Under-19 team avoided a major setback at the ICC U-19 World
1 minutes ago
The Australian Open 2026 is set to get underway, with a packed opening day at Melbourne Park. World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz will launch his pursuit of a first title here, while two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka will defend her top seeding. Adding extra excitement
1 minutes ago
The Goa government revealed to the legislative assembly that the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, site of a recent fatal fire claiming 25 lives, had been identified for illegal construction by revenue officials in 2024. Documents presented show the club was built on converted land
1 minutes ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Singur in TMC-ruled West Bengal comes not just ahead of the polls, but targets sore points in the state's political history, with the launching of infrastructure projects in the town carrying significant political weight
1 minutes ago
