Newz Desk, Durgapur: India’s population growth is slowing down. The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2023 shows falling fertility, fewer births, and an ageing population in India.
India’s total fertility rate (TFR) fell to 1.9 in 2023, down from 2.0 in 2022 and 2021. This is below the replacement level of 2.1, meaning each generation is no longer fully replacing itself. Rural India has just reached replacement level at 2.1, while urban India is much lower at 1.5. In 2023, the total fertility rate in rural West Bengal was 1.4, while in urban areas it was 1.1.
What this means is, India’s population is moving toward stabilisation and, in the long run, may even begin to shrink.
Infant Mortality Rate in 2023
Meanwhile, the current infant mortality rate (IMR) stands at 25 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, down from 26 in 2022. This is less than one-fifth of the 1971 level of 129. Over the past decade, Infant Mortality Rate has dropped by nearly 37.5 per cent.
* Infant mortality is highest in UP, MP, and Chhattisgarh at 37 in 2023.
* Infant mortality is lowest in Kerala (5) and Manipur (3) in 2023.
* Infant mortality in West Bengal recorded 17 during the same period.
The SRS 2023 data shows a clear gap in infant survival between rural and urban India. In rural areas, the infant mortality rate is 28 per 1,000 live births, compared to 18 in cities.
This means babies born in villages are over 50% more likely to die before their first birthday than those born in urban areas. The main reasons for this gap are limited hospital access, too few trained health workers, and delays in getting medical care.
Other key insights from SRS 2023
1) India’s birth rate (number of live births per 1,000 people) stood at 18.4 in 2023, down from 21.4 in 2013.
2) Death rate in India fell to 6.4 per 1,000 people in 2023, compared to 7.0 in 2013.
3) Cardiovascular disease is now India’s top killer (31%), causing nearly one in three deaths.
4) Respiratory infection is the second leading killer, says the latest SRS Cause of Death Report.
5) A positive trend: Deaths at younger ages have reduced, shifting the burden to older populations.
