Ensure universal registration of births, deaths: RGI to States , Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Registrar General of India (RGI) has urged states to ensure universal registration of births and deaths.
• All government hospitals are now designated as registrars for births and deaths, as per Supreme Court directives.
• The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, amended in 2023, mandates online registration on the RGI portal.
• Since October 1, 2023, a digital birth certificate serves as the sole document for proof of birth date for various services.

Detailed Insights:

• Hospitals must report births and deaths within 21 days, with the medical officer in-charge responsible for reporting events occurring in hospitals.
• The amended Act of 2023 centralizes data collection, replacing the previous system where states maintained individual databases.
• The RGI database can be utilized to update critical citizen databases, including electoral rolls, the National Population Register (NPR), and ration cards.
• Universal registration aims to improve governance, facilitate social services, and ensure accurate demographic data for policy-making.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Registrar General of India (RGI): The central authority responsible for registering births, deaths, and vital statistics at the national level.
• National Population Register (NPR): A database containing demographic and biometric details of all usual residents of India.
• Electoral Rolls: Official lists of persons eligible to vote in elections, updated using birth and death records.