7.5% kids sans birth certificate in Ludhiana district: Survey

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, June 11

As many as 7.5 per cent children born in Ludhiana district are without a birth certificate, a national survey has confirmed.

Higher than state average

• The percentage of children without birth certificates and the non-registered births in Ludhiana was tenth highest in the state. While the number of Ludhiana’s children without birth certificates was higher than the state average of 7.4 per cent, the non-registered births in the state was pegged at 2.3 per cent.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, has also revealed that even 2.2 per cent births were not registered in Ludhiana.

The percentage of children without birth certificates and the non-registered births in Ludhiana was tenth highest in the state. While the number of Ludhiana’s children without birth certificates was higher than the state average of 7.4 per cent, the non-registered births in the state was pegged at 2.3 per cent.

The current survey, fifth in the NFHS series, which provides information on population, health and nutrition for India and each state and Union Territory, with district-level estimates for many important indicators, a copy of which is with The Tribune, indicated that 97.8 per cent births were registered in Ludhiana district during the survey period of 2019 to 2021, of which 90.3 per cent children were having birth certificate while 7.5 per cent children were without birth certificate.

While Amritsar topped the state with the highest of 99.5 per cent registered births, of which 93.8 per cent were having birth certificate and 5.8 per cent sans birth certificate, Patiala remained the laggard with the lowest of 95.5 per cent registered births, of which 86 per cent were having birth certificate and 9.6 per cent children were living without birth certificate.

Among other districts, Kapurthala has 98.7 per cent registered births, of which 89 per cent were having birth certificate and 9.7 per cent without birth certificate, Jalandhar 97.6 per cent registered births with 93.4 per cent having and 4.3 per cent without birth certificate, Hoshiarpur 97.7 per cent with 92.9 per cent having and 4.8 per cent without birth certificate, Nawanshahr 99 per cent with 94.1 per cent having and 5 per cent without birth certificate, Fatehgarh Sahib 97.2 per cent with 93.2 per cent having and 4 per cent without birth certificate, Moga 97.2 per cent with 91.2 per cent having and 6 per cent without birth certificate, Muktsar 96.4 per cent with 87.3 per cent having and 9.2 per cent without birth certificate, Faridkot 97.8 per cent with 90.9 per cent having and 6.9 per cent without birth certificate, Bathinda 96.4 per cent with 82.7 per cent having and 13.7 per cent without birth certificate, Mansa 98.1 per cent with 90.1 per cent having and 8 per cent without birth certificate, Tarn Taran 99.l per cent with 92.4 per cent having and 6.7 per cent without birth certificate, Ropar 96.6 per cent with 91.9 per cent having and 4.7 per cent without birth certificate, Mohali 97.5 per cent with 88.8 per cent having and 8.7 per cent without birth certificate, Sangrur 98.4 per cent with 89 per cent having and 9.4 per cent without birth certificate, Barnala 96 per cent with 87.6 per cent having and 8.4 per cent without birth certificate, Fazilka 96.8 per cent with 89.8 per cent having and 7 per cent without birth certificate, Ferozepur 98 per cent with 90.2 per cent having and 7.8 per cent without birth certificate, Gurdaspur 98.9 per cent with 92.3 per cent having and 6.6 per cent without birth certificate, and Pathankot has 98.6 per cent registered births with 92.1 per cent possessing birth certificate while 6.4 per cent children were still living without birth certificate.

About the survey

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had designated the IIPS, Mumbai, as the nodal agency to conduct NFHS-5. The main objective of each successive round of the NFHS has been to provide high-quality data on health and family welfare and emerging issues in this area.

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