13% rise in registered deaths in Gujarat in pandemic year compared to 2019

According to the report, the maximum number of deaths in 2020 was registered in the age group of 70 years and above (2,15,839), which accounts to 41 per cent of the total registered deaths, followed by the age group of 55-64 (94,458), which comprises 18 per cent of the total registered deaths in the state.

Among the districts, Ahmedabad (79,404) registered maximum number of deaths, followed by Surat (47,480), Vadodara (35,906), Rajkot (31,538), Bhavnagar(20,288) and Anand (20,211).

The state also saw the third lowest sex ratio at birth across India among all states — 909 — after Manipur (880), which fares the worst, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (898).

Gujarat’s sex ratio at birth is, however, an improvement from 2019 CRS sex ratio at birth of 900.

In terms of the registration system, the CRS reports notes that most of the posts of Taluka/District Statistical Assistants are vacant out of total sanctioned posts and Registrars are not utilizing the powers vested under the section 15 of the RBD Act, 1969 regarding corrections and cancellation of entries in birth and death record.

The report also finds that there is a lack of awareness about the need and importance of registration of births and deaths and lack of registration procedure knowledge among the public in Gujarat.

In terms of a robust implementation mechanism of birth and death registration, Kerala is leading in creating awareness among the public regarding the importance and necessity of registration of vital events.

Section 23 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act provides for imposing penalties on defaulting institutions, Registrars and the individuals for non-registration, non-reporting and negligence or refusal to register any birth or death without any reasonable cause.

The CRS report records that “most of the State Governm-ents are not imposing penalties on the defaulters as a means to improve the functioning of the system.” Notably, digitisation of records in Gujarat also remains pending.

As noted in the CRS report, while e-Olakh, a web-app is used in the state for registration, Vododara Municipal Corporation has not been covered under it as they have been using their own software.

The digitization of records of birth and death from 2015 onwards have been completed in all rural and urban local bodies except for in Ahmedabad, Surat, Jamnagar Municipal Corporation.