Govt. hikes charges for registration of births, deaths

A Government Order amending the Tamil Nadu Registration of Births and Deaths Rules, 2000 has led to a sudden increase in charges for services related to birth and death registration. City residents, who had been availing of several such services free of cost and at a minimum fee of ₹2 for a few services, will have to shell out up to ₹500 per service. Currently, many of the services pertaining to birth and death registration in the Chennai Corporation area are free.

Owing to the proposal by the government to introduce online birth and death certificates in all districts of the State in February and the increase in fee, there is fear among residents that the Corporation may also impose restrictions on downloading the certificates. Following the G.O. issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department, local bodies have been asked to increase the fee for various services on registration of births and deaths. Residents in other parts of the State, including the suburbs of Chennai, have already started paying higher charges for services on vital statistics.

However, Corporation officials have defied the government order, offering many of the services free. The civic body cannot sustain the practice without government approval for long. As a result, it is planning to get an exemption from the government to offer the services free.

If the government refuses, city residents would have to pay ₹200 for downloading each copy of a birth certificate or a death certificate online.

Similarly, residents would also have to pay ₹500 towards late fee for failure to register a birth or death within one year of its occurrence. Previously, the late fee was just ₹10, according to the Tamil Nadu Registration of Births and Deaths Rules, 2000.

Former councillors have stressed on the need for providing the services relating to birth and death free of cost.

“The Chennai Corporation was the first to issue birth and death certificates online. If the government wants to emulate the model, let them offer all services free of cost. They should not increase the fees. The poor will not be able to pay exorbitant charges. All residents will oppose the decision,” said Mangala Raj, former Corporation councillor.

Approval received

Senior officials of the Health Department said the decision on increasing the fee was made after getting approval from the Registrar General of India.

“The Chennai Corporation model will be adopted in the entire State. But the new system with higher charges will only discipline people, encouraging them to register births and deaths immediately,” said an official.

The online system for issuance of birth and death certificates will be launched in the second week of February in the entire State.