Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa’s crude birth rate (CBR) has dropped to 10.8, ranking as the second lowest in the country, according to the Sample Registration System Statistical Report 2023. The state’s rate is nearly half of the national average of 18.4 and has declined from 11.7 recorded in 2021, pointing to slower population growth and an ageing demographic profile.
Among smaller states and Union Territories, Meghalaya reported the highest CBR at 22.7, followed by Arunachal Pradesh (16.6), while Andaman & Nicobar Islands registered the lowest at 10.1. Unlike the national pattern, Goa’s urban birth rate (11) was slightly higher than its rural rate (10.4).
The report also flagged Goa’s crude death rate (CDR) of 6.8, the highest among smaller states. This is largely attributed to lifestyle and chronic diseases such as heart conditions, cancers, and diabetes, which together account for over 47% of natural deaths in the state.
However, Goa performed strongly on the health front with an infant mortality rate of 6, well below the national average of 25, marking a significant achievement in child health care.
