Mobile app for birth and death registration launched

Launch of Civil Registration System (CRS) Mobile App for Birth and Death Registration

Context:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the CRS mobile application on October 29, 2024, aimed at digitalising and simplifying the registration of births and deaths across India. This move aligns with the government’s push for digital governance and integration of technology with administrative processes.

Key Features of the App:

Digital Registration: Citizens can register births and deaths anytime, anywhere, in their state’s official language.
Integration with CRS Portal: Complies with the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023, mandating digital registration of all births and deaths from October 1, 2023.
Digital Certificates: Birth certificates serve as single proof of date of birth for services like school admission, government jobs, and marriage registration.
Centralised Database: Facilitates updates to National Population Register (NPR), ration cards, property records, and electoral rolls.

Significance:

Ease of Access: Reduces time, paperwork, and travel required for registration.
Governance Efficiency: Promotes e-governance, reduces bureaucratic hurdles, and increases transparency.
Policy Integration: Supports NPR and future National Register of Citizens (NRC) initiatives, providing a robust foundational dataset.
Legal and Social Utility: Ensures every citizen has a verifiable identity, crucial for access to public services and welfare schemes.

Policy & Governance Dimensions:

Digital India Mission: Aligns with the government’s goal of integrating technology with governance.
Data Management & Security: Requires secure handling of sensitive personal data.
Inclusivity: Facilitates registration for rural and marginalized populations who may face barriers to physical registration.

Challenges:

Digital Literacy & Accessibility: Citizens must have access to smartphones and internet connectivity.
Data Accuracy & Fraud Prevention: Ensuring authenticity of registrations and preventing misuse is critical.
Interoperability: Linking state-level systems with central databases requires strong IT infrastructure.

Updated - October 30, 2024 07:05 am | The Hindu