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Context:
The annual crude birth rates (live births per 1,000 people in the population) for Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Kerala are declining at twice the rate of the national average, showed data from the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2021, released by the Registrar General of India last week.
National-Level Trends
- All-India Crude Birth Rate (CBR) in 2021: 19.3 per 1,000 population
- Average annual decline (2016–2021): 1.12%
Key Definitions
- MMR (Maternal Mortality Ratio): Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
- IMR (Infant Mortality Rate): Infant deaths (<1 year) per 1,000 live births
- NMR (Neonatal Mortality Rate): Newborn deaths (<28 days) per 1,000 live births
- U5MR (Under-Five Mortality Rate): Deaths before age 5 per 1,000 live births
- TFR (Total Fertility Rate): Average number of children a woman would have
- Sex Ratio at Birth: Female births per 1,000 male births
Progress Report (2014–2021)
TomorrowNABARD Sprint 60: the 2025 cut-offs and your 60-day Phase I planRegister free →- MMR: Reduced from 130 to 93 per 100,000 live births
- IMR: Dropped from 39 to 27 per 1,000 live births
- NMR: Declined from 26 to 19 per 1,000 live births
- U5MR: Decreased from 45 to 31 per 1,000 live births
- TFR: Declined to 2.0, achieving replacement level fertility
- Sex Ratio at Birth: Improved from 899 to 913 females per 1,000 males
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Global Comparison (UN Reports 2023–24)
- MMR: India’s reduction (1990–2023): 86% vs Global: 48%
- U5MR: India: 78% decline vs Global: 61%
- NMR: India: 70% vs Global: 54%
- IMR: India: 71% vs Global: 58%
Government Interventions Behind the Gains
- Ayushman Bharat Scheme: Health coverage for vulnerable populations
- Infrastructure Development: Maternity waiting homes, SNCUs, MCH wings
- Human Resource Strengthening: Skilled birth attendants and midwives
- Evidence-Based Care: Antenatal corticosteroids, CPAP therapy for newborns
- Digital Health Systems: Real-time tracking and monitoring of maternal-child health
- Equity Focus: Free, quality services with zero tolerance for care denial
SDG 2030 Alignment
- India is on track to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals related to maternal and child health, and has outperformed global averages in most mortality indicators.
Fastest Declining Birth Rates (Annual % Decline)
| State/UT | Annual Decline Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | 2.35% |
| Delhi | 2.23% |
| Kerala | 2.05% |
| Telangana | 1.67% |
| Karnataka | 1.68% |
| Andhra Pradesh | 1.26% |
| Maharashtra | 1.57% |
| J&K | 1.47% |
| Himachal Pradesh | 1.29% |
| Odisha | 1.34% |
| Gujarat | 1.24% |
| Haryana | 1.21% |
- All southern States (TN, Kerala, AP, Telangana, Karnataka) showed faster-than-average decline.
- Punjab recorded a birth rate decline nearly equal to the national average.
States with Slowest Decline in Birth Rates
| State | Annual Decline Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Rajasthan | 0.48% |
| Bihar | 0.86% |
| Chhattisgarh | 0.98% |
| Jharkhand | 0.98% |
| Assam | 1.05% |
| Madhya Pradesh | 1.05% |
| West Bengal | 1.08% |
| Uttar Pradesh | 1.09% |
- Uttarakhand: The only state with a rising birth rate during this period.
Civil Registration System (CRS) 2021 Insights
- States reporting increasing number of registered births:
- Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal
- Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep
Fertility Indicators (SRS 2021)
- TFR (Total Fertility Rate): Average children per woman across her reproductive span.
- GRR (Gross Reproduction Rate): Average number of daughters born per woman who survive to reproductive age.
- States with higher-than-national-average TFR and GRR:
- Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
