Even after Covid-19 pandemic, the ratio of deaths is higher than births in India. Except two states, in most states the ratio has not reached the pre-covid era but is even higher than 2020.
New Delhi: The world’s most populous country is India, with an estimated population of 146.39 crore (as of April). On the contrary, the country’s total fertility rate has plunged to 1.9, falling below the replacement level of 2.1. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the death rate was higher than normal. But even after the COVID-19 pandemic, the ratio of deaths to births remained high in 2022. Except for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the ratio of deaths to births has not returned to 2019 levels – the pre-COVID era – in almost every state.
For example, in 2022, Goa’s deaths were 87 percent of its births – much higher than the 70 percent level recorded in the pre-COVID era in 2019 and even higher than in 2020.
Shocking Figures Reported In These States
In Tamil Nadu, where the ratio was 74 percent in 2022 (equal to 2020) but above the pre-Covid figure of 67 percent. In the southern state of Kerala’s the ratio remains at 74 percent, above 56 percent in 2019.
Sikkim, which has the lowest fertility rate among all Indian states, also reported a ratio of 61 percent in 2022, higher than both pre-Covid 2019 and pandemic year 2020.
Chandigarh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which witnessed a sharp jump in the year 2021, have not been able to return to earlier levels.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported a 69 percent death-to-birth ratio in 2022, which is also above 58 percent in 2019.
Lower Death-To-Birth Ratio Reported In These States
In contrast, states with predominantly young populations, like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, witnessed significantly lower death-to-birth ratios, below 30 percent.
Bihar’s ratio being less than 15 percent. Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand reported notable population increases in 2021, although the growth rate showed a slight decrease in 2022.
