CHANDIGARH: Life expectancy in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab stands at 73.6 years and 70.8 years respectively both higher than the national average of 69.9 years reflecting modest improvement over the past five decades. In contrast, Haryana records a lower life expectancy at 68.6 years. Notably, female life expectancy at birth is highest in Himachal Pradesh, according to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) data for 2018–22 released by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India.
Kerala continues to top the national list with the highest life expectancy at 74.8 years, while Chhattisgarh remains at the bottom with 64.4 years. Other high-performing states and Union Territories include Delhi (74.6 years), Jammu and Kashmir (74.1 years), and Himachal Pradesh.
Punjab has outperformed several larger states such as Uttar Pradesh (67.2 years) and Madhya Pradesh (67.4 years), and is at par with Uttarakhand (70.8 years). Tamil Nadu (73.0 years), Maharashtra (72.5 years), and West Bengal (72.1 years) are among those with higher figures than Punjab.
The report notes that women in Punjab have an average life expectancy of 73.1 years, while for men it stands at 68.9 years. This results in a female-to-male life expectancy ratio of 1.06, a significant shift from 1970–75 when men outlived women.
Urban areas continue to show a clear advantage, with a life expectancy of 73.3 years (75.1 for females and 71.9 for males), compared to 69.2 years in rural areas (71.8 for females and 66.9 for males). This urban-rural gap, however, has narrowed considerably since the 1970–75 period.
Nationally, life expectancy at birth for males is 68.2 years and 71.9 years for females. Jammu and Kashmir records the highest male life expectancy at 72.8 years, while Himachal Pradesh and Kerala share the highest female life expectancy at 78.0 years. Chhattisgarh ranks lowest for both sexes, with 62.3 years for males and 66.6 years for females.
At age one, the average life expectancy is 69.3 years for males and 73.3 years for females. At age 60, life expectancy is 17.1 years for males and 19.3 years for females.
The report also finds that female life expectancy has improved more rapidly than male life expectancy across most states. The greatest annual increase for men was recorded in Odisha, and the lowest in Haryana. For women, Uttar Pradesh showed the most significant annual gain, while Kerala saw the smallest.
Professor Kumool Abbi, Director of the Population Research Centre at Panjab University, attributed higher female life expectancy in Punjab to several factors, including cultural emphasis on nutrition, low multidimensional poverty, infrastructure gains from the Green Revolution, reduced maternal mortality, access to healthcare and education, and genetic factors.
“To further reduce the gender and urban-rural gaps, there is a need to move away from dependence on agriculture, raise awareness of non-communicable diseases, strengthen public healthcare, and ensure equitable access to services,” she added.