AN increasing number of couples are taking advantage of the new family planning policy and having a second child.

　　The new policy came into effect on April 15 and allows a couple who were the single child of their own parents to have two children.

　　With the city facing an aging problems, the old policy was changed to encourage more births.

　　In the past, couples who obeyed the one-child policy were given financial incentives and this was increased for those who decided not to have any children at all. The financial encouragement for those not to have children has now been abolished.

　　Statistics released this week showed that the number of registered Shanghai residents above 60 had reached 2.55 million, 18.9 per cent of the total city population; those above 65 were 14.87 per cent of the total.

　　With ever more DINK (Double Income, No Kids) families appearing, the aging problem is expected to worsen. According to the latest statistics, half of the city's population will be elderly - above 65 - by 2030.

　　(Star News)