Registration of Births and Deaths Increasing

Approximately 25 per cent of the births are not being registered in India. The level of registration of birth in India is 74.5 and 77.5 per cent respectively for the year 2007 and 2008. UNICEF Report on “ The State of the World’s Children, 2012” reveals that 59% of the birth in urban India and 35% in rural India are registered.

The level of registration of birth in India is increasing year by year and the level of registration of births has increased to 77.5 percent in 2008 from 56.2 percent in 2000.

The measures being taken to improve the registration system in India are:

• Office of RGI has intensified publicity campaigns on the need and importance of registration of births and deaths through electronic and print-media at the central level.

• Under the scheme of central assistance to States, the financial assistance is provided to States/UTs for –

(i) Publicity and advertisement through Information Education Communication (IEC) activities;

(ii) Training of Registration Functionaries &

(iii) Providing infrastructural support in terms of staff, computers, etc.

• Launched National Campaign for birth registration.

Instructions have been issued to ensure cent per cent registration of institutional events to all States/UTs.

This was stated by Shri Jitendra Singh, Minister of State of Home Affairs in written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

Source : PIB release, March 21, 2012