THESE are some of the questions the Indian Government is asking as it selects 10 BPL families in each district of the state to be rewarded as model BPL families.

Titled the 'Prerna Award', it is part of the Government of India's population control programme.

The Centre has set aside Rs 100 crore as National Population Stabilisation Fund or Jansakhya Sthirta Kosh (JSK), and these awards are being distributed through these funds.

In the first phase, 46 districts across the country have been chosen, including nine from Uttar Pradesh.

The district administrations have been asked to nominate 10 couples fit for the award.

If the woman in the household got married after 18 years of age, the couple gets Rs 5,000.

If the first child was born after the mother was 21, the reward is Rs 7,000 (in case of a girl child) and Rs 5,000 (in case of a boy).

There are similar monetary incentives for keeping a 36-month gap between the first and second child and sterilisation by one parent after the birth of the second child.

Instead of cash, the couples will be given Kisan Vikas Patra. They will also become peers for the population control programme and will educate the BPL community in both urban and rural areas on the benefits of family planning.

Also, they will extensively feature as role models in TV and print campaigns of the ministry all through the year.