Lok Sabha Question No. 1354 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-06
Subject: Assessment of Infant Mortality Rate
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Laxmikant Pappu Nishad

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION 1354 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 th FEBRUARY 2026

## ASSESSMENTOFINFANT MORTALITY RATE

## 1354: SHRI LAXMIKANT PAPPU NISHAD:

Will the MINISTER of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has assessed the Infant Mortality Rate (PMR) and mortality rate of children under five years in the country and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand;

(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 infant and child deaths are being adversely affected due to shortage of specialist doctors, inadequate health infrastructure, poor referral systems and lack of emergency transport services and if so, the steps taken by the Government to improve the situation along with details thereof; (d) the funds allocated, released and utilised for child and newborn health services in these States under National Health Mission (NHM) and other relevant schemes during the last five years; and (e) whether the Government is implementing a time-bound action plan to ensure quality child and newborn health services in these States and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) As per available 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/ UT wise including States of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand is placed at Annexure I.

(b) The details of Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs)/ Neonatal Intensive Care Units (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 responsibility of the respective State Government.

(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 Programme Implementation Plan (APIP) and the Common Review Mission.

The details of funds approved under National Health Mission (NHM) to improve infant and child health outcome can be accessed at the following link:

## https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=1377&lid=744

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) supports in implementation of 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 including States of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand, are placed as below:

-  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 and small babies.
-  Community Based care of Newborn and Young 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 young children in the 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, blood and consumables.
-  Social Awareness and Actions to Neutralize Pneumonia 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 reducing morbidity and mortality due to childhood diarrhoea.
-  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) under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) to improve child survival. District Early Intervention Centres (DEICs) at district health facility level are established for confirmation and management of children screened under RBSK.

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1354 for reply on 6 th February 2026

| Status of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under 5 Mortality Rate   |   Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) | (U5MR) Under 5 Mortality 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: Sample Registration System 2023, RGI Report 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 UTs

## Annexure II

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1354 for reply on 6 th 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 |