The Hindu Maheshwari community is encouraging couples to give birth to a third child after concerns were raised about the low numbers of the community's members.
An incentive of INR 50,000 ($600) has been offered as a fixed deposit for those heeding the call.
Decline in Maheshwari Population
Talking to Sputnik, President of Delhi Pradesh Maheshwari Sangathan organization Neeraj Kishore Paltani said there has been a massive decline in the population of the Maheshwari community due to people's preference for one child.
"In the past few years, we have seen a trend where youngsters are sticking to have just one child only and this has caused a disruption in the population ratio of Maheshwari community people, Paltani said.
He said the number of deaths in the Maheshwari caste has doubled the number of births.
Another big reason, Paltani shared, is the rise in inter-caste marriages in which girls from the Maheshwari community have to embrace their husbands' caste.
"We encourage our children to get married in the same community. But when there are fewer options available for suitable brides and grooms in our community, we will have no other option but to go for inter-caste marriages," Paltani stated.
"We don't oppose that either. But it would be best if marriages happen in the same caste (or community)," he added.
Hence, with this new policy, the Maheshwari community across India aims to encourage their members to have at least three children. It is intended to keep their community's roots expanding into a larger circle.
"As our population is going down, the existence of our community people will be threatened. The chances of being lost in oblivion and being ignored or forgotten would rise. If we don't do something about it then we will be left with only a handful in the world," Paltani said.
To spread awareness about the incentive, the community will hold camps across the country.
A previous policy from the Maheshwari community only applied when the third child was a daughter. However, now they have extended the move to any child irrespective of gender.