Context: Sample Registration System (SRS) Bulletin 2024 showed continued demographic transition in India with decline in birth rate, death rate and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), though rural-urban and inter-state disparities remain.
1. Key Findings:
- Birth rate declined: 21 (2014) → 18.3 (2024)
- Death rate declined: 6.7 → 6.4
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) declined sharply: 39 → 24
2. Kerala’s Performance:
- Lowest Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): 8
- Lowest Natural Growth Rate (NGR): 3.9
- Tamil Nadu also among best-performing large States.
3. Rural-Urban Gap:
- Urban areas performed better in healthcare and mortality reduction.
- Rural areas continue to lag in health indicators.
Basics:
- Birth Rate: Number of live births per 1,000 population in a year.
- Death Rate: Number of deaths per 1,000 population in a year.
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Infant deaths below 1 year per 1,000 live births.
- Natural Growth Rate (NGR): Population growth through births minus deaths, excluding migration.
