While a family planning fund is to be established in Beijing to deliver more help to couples whose only child is deceased or handicapped, the capital city still keeps the door closed for families with one parent being an only child to have a second child, Beijing Morning Post reported Friday.
The repercussion will be considerable if more families are allowed to have second children as a large proportion of Beijing couples now have only one child, said Pan Yinmiao, director of the research office of the Municipal Commission of Population and Family Planning.
Under current guidelines, Beijing couples are entitled to have a second child if they themselves are an only child. Other couples will be fined and receive administrative punishment if they violate the regulations and have a second child.
The capital will establish a family planning fund to provide more help to families whose only child is dead or disabled, Pan added.
At present, the commission offers different help to families whose only child is dead - technical support to couples who can and are willing to give birth to another child and economic compensation to those who can't or aren't willing.
Couples who lose their only child will receive 400 yuan every month when the mother reaches 49 years old. When the mother reaches 55 and the father 60, they will receive a one-time subsidy of more than 5,000 yuan.
For couples whose only child is disabled, they will receive 320 yuan every month when the mother reaches 49.
