PATNA: Bihar has successfully reduced the infant mortality rate (IMR) in comparison to what it was in 2005.
"In Bihar, IMR has reduced to 38% from what it was around 61% in 2005. It has all been possible because of a slew of initiatives taken up in the health sector between 2005 and 2018," deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said here on Tuesday evening.
He said Bihar's infant mortality rate is lower than Assam (44%), Odisha (41%) and UP (42%). He further claimed that a whopping sum of Rs 27,500 crore was spent in Bihar in the last five years in the health sector.
"Alone in 2018-19 fiscal year, the state government has spent a sum of Rs 7,472 crore in health sectors while a target for 2019-20 has been fixed to spend Rs 9,622 crores again," he said.
He also added that the gender gap between a male and female child has also reduced from earlier 15 to 3 points now in Bihar.
However, expressing serious concern on the high birth rate in Bihar, he said, "It is around 26.45% but the state government is taking all steps to check it under stipulated time frame."
The total population in Bihar may touch up to 13 crores by 2021, the deputy CM further added.