Key facts
- Bhutan will offer monthly cash incentives of 10,000 ngultrums ($105) for third and subsequent children.
- The incentive program begins for children born on or after June 4, 2026.
- The policy is a response to a declining population in Bhutan.
- Annual births in Bhutan have decreased by 26% since 2015.
Bhutan is introducing a policy to provide financial incentives to families to counter its declining population. Starting June 4, 2026, families will receive a monthly payment of 10,000 ngultrums, equivalent to approximately $105, for each third and subsequent child born. This initiative comes in response to a significant drop in birth rates, with annual births having fallen by 26% since 2015. The government is concerned about the long-term consequences of this demographic trend on the nation's workforce and overall socio-economic development.