GS PAPER II: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

Context: The level of registration of births and deaths in the country improved in 2019, according to the “Vital Statistics of India Based on The Civil Registration System” report.

Key highlights of the report:

Birth registration

• The report states that the level of birth registration increased from 87.8% in 2018 to 92.7% in 2019; and death registrations went up from 84.6% to 92% during the period.
• While 14 States/Union Territories achieved 100% level of birth registrations, 19 States/Union Territories achieved the same level in cases of death.

Sex ratio at birth

• Based on the information received from 32 States/Union Territories, the share of institutional births in the total registered births was 81.2%.
• The number of registered births increased to 2.48 crore in 2019 from 2.33 crore in 2018. The share of male and female was 52.1% and 47.9%.
• In the case of registration of births within the prescribed period of 21 days, 15 States/Union Territories achieved more than 90% registration.

Birth, death registrations up in 2019

• The highest sex ratio at birth (SRB) based on registered events was reported by Arunachal Pradesh (1,024), followed by Nagaland (1,001) Mizoram (975) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (965).
• The lowest SRB was reported by Gujarat (901), Assam (903) and Madhya Pradesh (905), followed by Jammu & Kashmir (909).
• The number of registered deaths increased from 69.5 lakh in 2018 to 76.4 lakh in 2019. The share of male and female was 59.6% and 40.4%.
• Based on the information received from 31 States/Union Territories, the share of institutional deaths in total registered deaths was 32.1%.

Infant deaths

• Eleven States/Union Territories achieved more than 90% registration of deaths within the prescribed period of 21 days.
• In the case of registration of infant deaths, the share of urban area was 75.5% compared to 24.5% in rural areas.
• In the north-east, Arunachal Pradesh reported 100% registration of births, but only 38.6% of deaths. Nagaland also registered 100% births, but just 30% deaths, while Manipur recorded 67.7% births and only 21.4% deaths.
• In Sikkim, there was 100% registration of deaths, but 61.2% registration of births.

Full registration

• However, Mizoram and Tripura reported 100% registration of both births and deaths.
• Meghalaya had 100% registration of births and 97.6% registration of deaths, while Assam reported 100% registration of births and 74% registration of deaths.
• In Bihar and Jharkhand, the levels of registration of births were 89.3% and 84.3% and the levels of registration of deaths were 51.6% and 58.8%. In Daman & Diu, the figures were 50.7% and 61%.
• Listing the limitations, the report said the level of registration of States/Union Territories and India level presented in the report was arrived at using the mid-year projected population of the respective States/Union Territories of 2011-2019 based on 2011 census (Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections, July 2020, National Commission on Population, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) and, therefore, was not comparable with rates presented in previous reports.

Incomplete data

• The level of registration was arrived at using Sample Registration System Rates for 2018 as the survey for 2019, which was scheduled for 2020, could not be completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Besides, some States/Union Territories submitted incomplete or partial data, which was not included.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/birth-death-registrations-up-in-2019/article34843744.ece?homepage=true

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