The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Scheme gives a push to birth registrations

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Thursday, Jan 28, 2010
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Scheme gives a push to birth registrations

Afshan Yasmeen

There has been a sudden increase in the numbers since 2006

Bangalore: The State Government’s Bhagyalakshmi scheme that offers help of up to Rs. 1 lakh for a girl child of a BPL family has increased the birth registration in the State, especially in Gulbarga district in the last two years.

Obtaining a birth certificate is mandatory to get benefits under the scheme.

According to a study jointly done by Plan India — a non-governmental organisation that is popularising registration of births through awareness campaigns in rural areas — and the Institute of Health Management and Research (IHMR), there has been a sudden increase in registrations since 2006, when the scheme was introduced.

“When we conducted a study to know the reason in nine districts that recorded a low birth registration till 2005, we realised that introduction of the scheme had encouraged mothers to get their girl children registered to secure their future. The figures were particularly high in Gulbarga,” Sneha Siddham, programme manager of Plan India told The Hindu.

Rise noted

These facts were corroborated by State Chief Registrar of Births and Deaths, H.E. Rajashekharappa, who is also the Director of Economics and Statistics in the State.

Mr. Rajashekarappa said the number of girl children registered increased from 18,930 in 2004 to 40,252 in 2008 in Gulbarga district. In 2007, the figure rose to 38,862.

“We also found some instances of double registration by a few poverty stricken families. As the scheme offers financial assistance of up to Rs. 1 lakh to the girl child when she turns 18, some mothers (who had gone to the parents’ place for delivery) got the birth registered both at the place of delivery and at the place where their husbands lived. Following this, we instructed deputy commissioners to monitor all registrations and ensure that there were no double registrations. The Department of Women and Child Development, which is executing the scheme, is also keeping a tab,” he said.

This increase also contributed to the total increase of birth registrations in the State. It had resulted in bringing Karnataka to the third position in the country, after Kerala and Tamil Nadu in terms of birth registrations. “Kerala and Tamil Nadu reported 100 per cent registration,” he added.

The registration of births in 2005 was only 76.27 per cent, compared to 89.36 per cent in 2008. It rose to 90.22 per cent in 2007.

The data for 2009 was still being tabulated, he said.

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