Parliament Question: Assessment of Infant Mortality Rate

GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION 1354 TO BE ANSWERED ON6th FEBRUARY2026 ASSESSMENTOFINFANTMORTALITYRATE 1354: SHRILAXMIKANTPAPPU NISHAD: Will the MINISTER of HEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleased tostate: (a) whether the Government has assessed the Infant Mortality Rate (PMR) and mortality rate of children underfive yearsin the country andif so, the detailsthereof, State/UT-wise, includingUttar Pradesh,Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya PradeshandJharkhand; (b) the details of availability of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), paediatric beds, trained doctors and nursing staff working in Government hospitals in these States; (c)whether infantandchilddeathsare beingadversely affected duetoshortage of specialist doctors, inadequate health infrastructure, poor referral systems andlack of emergency transport services and if so, the steps takenby the Government toimprove the situation alongwith detailsthereof; (d) the funds allocated, released and utilised for child and newborn health services in these States underNational HealthMission (NHM) andotherrelevant schemesduring the last five years; and (e) whether the Government is implementing a time-bound action plan to ensure quality child and newborn healthservices inthese States andif so, the detailsthereof,State/UT-wise? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) As peravailable report of Sample Registration System(SRS) 2023 of Registrar General of India (RGI), Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) at the National level and State/UTwiseincludingStatesofUttarPradesh,Rajasthan,Bihar,MadhyaPradeshandJharkhandis placedatAnnexureI. (b)ThedetailsofSpecialNewbornCareUnits(SNCUs)/NeonatalIntensiveCareUnits(NICUs)and Paediatric Units in the State of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand is placed at Annexure II. The recruitment and deployment of doctors and nursing personnel are the responsibilityoftherespectiveStateGovernment. (c) to (e) The Ministry reviews the implementation through quarterly State reports, field visits, meetings/ reviews conducted with State Nodal Officers during the process of the Annual ProgrammeImplementation Plan(APIP)andthe Common ReviewMission. The details of funds approved under National Health Mission (NHM) to improve infant and child healthoutcome can be accessed at the following link:https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=1377&lid=744 The Ministry of HealthandFamily Welfare(MoHFW) supports inimplementationof Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH + N) strategy under National Health Mission (NHM) based on the Annual Program Implementation Plan (APIP) submitted by respective State / UT. The details of interventions to improve infant and child health outcome all across the country includingStatesof Uttar Pradesh,Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh andJharkhand,are placedasbelow:  Facility Based Newborn Care: Special New-born Care Units (SNCUs) are established at District Hospital and Medical College level, Newborn Stabilization Units (NBSUs) are established at First Referral Units (FRUs)/ Community Health Centres (CHCs) for care of sick andsmall babies.  Community Based care of Newborn andYoung Children: Under Home Based New-born Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care of Young Children (HBYC) program, home visits are performed by ASHAs to improve child-rearing practices and to identify sick newborn and youngchildreninthe community.  Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK): Sick infant up to one year of age is entitled to free treatment in public health institutions along with the provision of free transport, diagnostics, medicines,bloodand consumables.  Social Awareness andActions to NeutralizePneumonia Successfully (SAANS) initiative implemented since 2019 for reduction of childhood morbidity and mortality due to Pneumonia.  STOP Diarrhoea campaign is implemented for promoting use of ORS and Zinc and for reducingmorbidityandmortality due tochildhooddiarrhoea.  Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK): Children from 0 to 18 years of age are screened for 32 health conditions (i.e.Diseases, Deficiencies, Defects and Developmental delay) underRashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) to improve child survival. District Early Intervention Centres (DEICs) at district health facility level are established for confirmationandmanagement of childrenscreenedunderRBSK.Annexure I Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1354 for reply on 6th February 2026 Status of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) Infant Mortality Rate Under 5 Mortality (IMR) Rate (U5MR) India 25 29 A&N Islands 9 Andhra Pradesh 19 21 Arunachal Pradesh 20 Assam 30 33 Bihar 23 27 Chandigarh 7 Chhattisgarh 37 41 D&N Haveli and Daman & Diu 9 Delhi 14 16 Goa 6 Gujarat 20 23 Haryana 26 30 Himachal Pradesh 14 17 Jammu & Kashmir 14 15 Jharkhand 29 32 Karnataka 14 17 Kerala 5 8 Ladakh 4 Lakshadweep 9 Madhya Pradesh 37 44 Maharashtra 14 16 Manipur 3 Meghalaya 34 Mizoram 13 Nagaland 10 Odisha 30 35 Puducherry 7 Punjab 17 22 Rajasthan 29 34 Sikkim 6 Tamil Nadu 12 13 Telangana 18 22 Tripura 15 Uttar Pradesh 37 42 Uttarakhand 20 23 West Bengal 17 18 Source:SampleRegistrationSystem2023,RGIReport https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/data/SRSSTAT Unit: Per 1000 live births Note: Under 5 Mortality Rate is available for 22 Bigger States and UTsAnnexure II Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1354 for reply on 6th February 2026 No. of SNCUs/ NICUs No. of Paediatric Units Bihar 45 19 Jharkhand 26 14 Madhya Pradesh 62 67 Rajasthan 72 73 Uttar Pradesh 118 63