IMPHAL, May 14: “Every life counts, and every life must be counted” — this guiding principle finds powerful validation in the latest Civil Registration System (CRS) Report 2021, as the northeastern states of India show remarkable progress in recording vital events.

The eight states — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura — have demonstrated exceptional administrative efficiency, with all reporting 100% registration completeness for both births and deaths. This milestone reflects years of systemic improvements, better coordination among departments, and heightened public awareness.

Among the eight, Assam recorded the highest number of registered births and deaths. A total of 6,43,173 births and 2,24,143 deaths were documented, both with 100% registration completeness. However, the state reported a low Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) of 863, the lowest among northeastern states, raising concerns about gender balance.

Arunachal Pradesh, though smaller in population, registered 31,042 births and 5,720 deaths. It stood out with an SRB of 997, the highest in the country, indicating near parity between male and female births—a sign of deep-rooted gender inclusivity. However, only 50% of births and deaths were registered within the prescribed time limit of 21 days, highlighting room for improvement in timeliness.

Tripura reported 51,655 births and 26,063 deaths, while Manipur recorded 49,482 births and 25,106 deaths, both achieving full completeness. While Tripura showed better timeliness in registration (over 80% of births registered within 21 days), Manipur lagged with less than 50% of births and deaths registered on time.

Meghalaya documented 52,135 births and 13,859 deaths, while Mizoram registered 20,079 births and 5,186 deaths. Both states achieved 100% coverage, although Meghalaya’s timeliness remained moderate (50–80%), and Mizoram excelled with over 90% of births and deaths registered within 21 days.

Nagaland reported 30,395 births and 5,389 deaths, with complete coverage. However, like Arunachal, it struggled with timely registration. Sikkim, with 11,801 births and 3,399 deaths, is advancing in digitization, with 86.8% of births and 73.06% of deaths registered online using the ORGI portal.

The CRS Report attributes these improvements to stronger interdepartmental coordination, adoption of digital tools like the ORGI CRS portal, and persistent awareness drives. While completeness is now universal, the focus ahead lies on improving timeliness and increasing digital accessibility across all districts.