By IANS,
Chandigarh : The Haryana government’s decision shifting the registration of births and deaths from police stations to primary health centres has proved fruitful. Registrations in rural areas saw an unprecedented increase, the state’s Health Minister Kartar Devi said here Sunday.
Enthused by the success of the decision implemented in the state in 2005, the Registrar General of India has suggested to other states to follow in the footsteps of Haryana.
Kartar Devi said a record 94 percent births were registered in 2007 with 511,973 births in the state. The total number of births registered in the state in 2005 was only 78.9 percent, the minister said, adding that 133,581 deaths were registered in the state last year recording a level of 92 percent.
All the records of birth and deaths have been stored on computer hard discs and computerised certificates of registration of births and deaths have been issued, the minister said. The government has sought the help of voluntary organisations to create awareness among the people about registration. Notices were issued to those nursing homes which did not get births and deaths registered, Kartar Devi added.
The registration has also proved helpful in monitoring sex ratio right at the time of birth. The birth ratio of the girl children has shot up from 823 girls per 1000 boys in 2005 to 860 girls in November 2007, the minister said.
The state government has also simplified the registration process to help people adopt it with ease. The application forms for registration could easily be obtained from the village watchman, anganwari centres and health workers.