Birth, death reporting to be automated

What is the News?

According to the 2020-21 annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Central government is planning to revamp the Civil Registration System(CRS). It will enable the registration of birth and death in real-time with a minimum human intervention that will be independent of location.

What is the Civil Registration System(CRS)?

CRS is the process of continuous, permanent, compulsory and universal recording of births and deaths in the country.

CRS is linked to the National Population Register(NPR) which already has a database of 119 crore residents. 

History of Civil Registration System in India

The history of the Civil Registration System(CRS) in India dates back to the middle of the 19th century. 

In 1886 a Central Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act was promulgated to provide for voluntary registration throughout British India.

Post-independence, the Registration of Births and Death Act (RBD Act) was enacted in 1969. With the enactment of the Act, registration of births and deaths became mandatory in India. 

The Registrar General, India(RGI) under the Home Ministry at the Central Government level coordinates and unifies the activities of registration throughout the country.  

However, implementation of the statute is vested with the State Governments. The registration of births and deaths in the country is done by the functionaries appointed by the State Governments. 

What are the challenges faced by CRS currently?

The CRS system is facing challenges in terms of timelines, efficiency, and uniformity, leading to delayed and under-coverage of birth and death.

What are the amendments proposed to the Registration of Births and Deaths(RBD) Act, 1969?

Automate the registration process: The government is planning to revamp the Civil Registration System (CRS) to enable the registration of birth and death in real-time with a minimum human interface that will be independent of location.

Maintain database at National Level: RGI has proposed amendments to the RBD Act,1969 that will enable it to maintain the database of registered birth and deaths at the national level.

The database may be used to update the Population Register, Electoral Register, Aadhaar, Ration Card, Passport, and Driving License databases.

Source:  The post is based on an article “Birth, death reporting to be automated” published in The Hindu on 28th April 2022.