Bihar tops out of eight EAG States in respect of Dependency Ratio

The following table has compared the dependency ratios for both the rural and urban residences for all the EAG States:

S. No.	State	Dependency Ratio Total	Dependency Ratio Rural	Dependency Ratio Urban
1	Rajasthan	75.2	80.1	61.5
2	Odisha	62.1	64.6	50.4
3	Bihar	92.0	95.5	71.6
4	Jharkhand	75.8	82.7	58.8
5	Madhya Pradesh	68.9	75.5	56.8
6	Chhattisgarh	64.6	68.1	53.1
7	Uttar Pradesh	82.1	88.2	63.4
8	Uttarakhand	69.8	75.5	57.1

The data is taken from Annual Health survey, 2010.  The dependency ratio is normally calculated by having (in percentage) numerator as number of persons below 15 year plus persons above 60 years and denominator as the total population of ages 15-60 years. The top four states in the dependency ratio are Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan.  It may be true as there is lot of migration of working population to other states from these states.  In case of Urban residence, the top three are Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.  Odisha has the least of all for all the types of residencies.

A high dependency ratio can cause serious problems for the respective governments, as the largest proportion of a government's expenditure is on health, social security & education which are most used by old and young population. Also the increasing expenditure on pension becomes a problem too.

Over a million of infants die in India before seeing their first birthday

As per Government Reports, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) across the country had declined to 44 in 2011. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of a population is the number of children dying before celebrating their first birth day out of one thousand number of children born. 

Crude Birth Rate for the year 2011 has been put on record as 21.8 (births per thousand population) and the 2011 census declared India’s population as 1210.2 millions.  By simple arithmetic, one gets the number of infants dying in India are of the order of 1.2 millions.  By the same logic, the number of infant deaths in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are 0.32, 0.13, 0.12 and 0.09 millions and these comprise about 56% of total infant’s deaths in India.  If we add more progressive big states like Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, the share of infant deaths of these states is around three-fourth.

The number of deaths in case of smaller progressive states of Kerala, Delhi and Goa estimate 

to over 6000, 8000 and 200 respectively.  Although Kerala’s population is twice that of the 

Indian Capital, number of infant deaths in Kerala are three fourth of the Delhi’s where medical 

facilities are supposed to be at much higher level.

In eight EAG states of India Mean Age at first marriage is increasing

The mean age at first marriage among women and men based on marriages taken place during 2007-09 have been listed for EAG States of India from the data collected during Annual Health Survey, 2010.  This is one of the important indicators having bearing on birth rates, fertility of women and also on her health profile.  Any advancement in this women’ marriage age, does effect the population dynamics of the region/states and hence on its development. Here below for the eight least developed EAG states, on which the Government of India has the focus so that their development would actually lead in the advancement of India as a whole as the same is dependent significantly on these states, the movement of the said indicator has been discussed.

1.    Rajasthan

The median age at first marriage among women age 20-49 in Rajasthan was 15 years as per NFHS. But the mean age for females is around 20 years as per recent held Annual Health survey (AHS).  Men average age at marriage is just two years later.  In urban Rajasthan the respective mean ages for women and men are 21.4 years and 24.2 years respectively.

 

2.    Uttarakhand

The median age at first marriage among women age 20-49 in Uttarakhand was 15 years as per NFHS. But the mean age for females is around 22 years as per recent held Annual Health survey (AHS).  Men average age at marriage is four years later.  In urban Uttarakhand the respective mean ages for women and men are 21.4 years and 25.3 years respectively. 

3.    Uttar Pradesh

As per NFHS -3, the median age at first marriage is 16.2 years among women age 20-49 and 20.1 years among men age 25-49. On average, men get married four years later than women.

But the mean age at marriage for females is 21 years as per recent held Annual Health survey (AHS).  Men average age at marriage is just three years later.  In urban Uttar Pradesh the respective mean ages for women and men are 22.4 years and 25.7 years respectively.

 

4.    Odisha

The median age at first marriage is 17.9 years among women age 20-49 in Odisha and 23.6 years among men age 25-49 as per NFHS. But the mean age for females is around 22 years as per recent held Annual Health survey (AHS).  Men average age at marriage is just five years later.  In urban Odisha the respective mean ages for women and men are 22.9 years and 28.6 years respectively. 

5.    Madhya Pradesh

The median age at first marriage is 15.9 years among women age 20-49 in Madhya Pradesh and 19.9 years among men age 25-49 as per NFHS. On average, men get married four years later than women. But the mean age for females is 20.6 years as per recent held Annual Health survey (AHS).  Men average age at marriage is just three years later.  In urban Madhya Pradesh the respective mean ages for women and men are 22.1 years and 25.8 years respectively. 

6.    Chhattisgarh 

As per NFHS -3, the median age at first marriage is 16.4 years among women age 20-49 years and 20.4 among men age 25-49. On average men marry four years later than women. But the mean age at marriage for females is 20.9 years as per recent held Annual Health survey (AHS).  Men average age at marriage is 24.3 years.  In urban Chhattisgarh the respective mean ages for women and men are 21.6 years and 26.5 years respectively.

 

7.    Bihar

As per NFHS -3, the median age at first marriage is 15 years among women age 20-49 years and 20 years among men age 25-49. On average men marry four years later than women. But the mean age at marriage for female is 19.7 years and for male as 23.4 years as per recent held Annual Health survey (AHS). In urban Bihar the respective mean ages for women and men are 21.1 years and 25.6 years respectively.

8.    Jharkhand

As per NFHS -3, the median age at first marriage is 16.2 years among women age 20-49 years and 20.8 among men age 25-49. On average men marry four years later than women. But the mean age at marriage for female (married during 2007-09) is 20.2 years and for male as 24.5 years as per recent held Annual Health survey (AHS). In urban Jharkhand the respective mean ages for women and men are 21.6 years and 26.5 years respectively.

The following table has compared the mean age at marriage for both the males and females for all the EAG States:

S. No.	State	Mean Age at  Marriage for Females	Mean Age at  Marriage for Males	Gap in Mean Age at Marriage
1	Rajasthan	19.7	22.2	2.5
2	Odisha	21.7	26.9	5.2
3	Bihar	19.7	23.4	3.7
4	Jharkhand	20.2	24.5	4.3
5	Madhya Pradesh	20.6	23.8	3.2
6	Chhattisgarh	20.9	24.3	3.4
7	Uttar Pradesh	21.0	23.7	2.7
8	Uttarakhand	22.0	25.8	3.8

It can be inferred that most of the females of Rajasthan, Bihar and Jharkhand are marring around their late nineties or early twenties.  Most of the females of MP, Chhattisgarh and UP are marrying in their late twenties, whereas in Odisha and Uttarakhand the age of girls marrying is around 22.  In most of these 8 states, men are marrying the girls with less their age and the gap is around 2.5 to 3.5 years, except for Odisha (over 5 years), Jharkhand (over 4 years), Uttarakhand and Bihar 3.8 and 3.7 years respectively.  The gaps should be least possible as it has been seen that females live longer than males on the average.

Over the years, the mean age at marriage has been advancing in both rural as well in urban areas, if one compares the presented two data sets. It has been also observed that Urban areas are witnessing late marriages than their rural counter parts of all these states and gap is comparatively more, except for Uttarakhand where the urban areas are marrying early and the gap is relatively less.  

Traditions have been considerably changed in respect of women marrying before the legal age in EAG states of India

Proportion of women marrying before the legal age in EAG states of India has been obtained from the data collected during Annual Health Survey, 2010.  This has been obtained for the currently married women in these states as well as for the women who married during 2007-09.  This is one of the important indicators having bearing on birth rates, and fertility of women.  Any advancement in this women’ marriage age, does effect the population dynamics of the region/states and hence on its development. Here below for the eight least developed EAG states, on which the Government of India has the focus so that their development would actually lead in the advancement of India as a whole as the same is dependent significantly on these states, the movement of the said indicator has been discussed.

1.    Rajasthan

Over 57% of currently married women age 20-24 years got married before the legal minimum age of 18 and little less 52 percent of men age 25-29 years got married before the legal minimum age of 21 as per recent large scale survey.  The same for urban Rajasthan are much less and are around forty three percent and 35 percent respectively.

The proportion of girls marrying during 2007-09 below legal age is 22 percent. In urban areas the corresponding percentage is only 9 percent.

The customary marriages under the legal age are seen to have been significantly reduced from 57% to 22% which is about 40%.

2.    Uttarakhand

Over 25% of currently married women age 20-24 years got married before the legal minimum age of 18 and 23 percent of men age 25-29 years got married before the legal minimum age of 21 as per recent large scale survey.  The same for urban Uttarakhand are much less and are around 20 percent and around 16 percent respectively.

The proportion of girls marrying during 2007-09 below legal age is 3 percent. In urban areas the corresponding percentage is only 1.3 percent.

The customary marriages under the legal age are seen to have been significantly reduced from 25% to 6% which is about one-fourth.

3.    Uttar Pradesh

About 39.2% of currently married women age 20-24 years got married before the legal minimum age of 18 and about 38.8 percent of men age 25-29 years got married before the legal minimum age of 21 as per recent large scale survey.  The same for urban Uttar Pradesh are around 27 percent and little over 23 percent respectively.

The proportion of girls marrying during 2007-09 below legal age is 9 percent. In urban areas the corresponding percentage is only 3 percent.

The customary marriages under the legal age are seen to have been significantly reduced from 39% to 9% which is about one-forth.

4.    Odisha

About 31% of currently married women age 20-24 years got married before the legal minimum age of 18 and about 18 percent of men age 25-29 years got married before the legal minimum age of 21 as per recent large scale survey.  The same for urban Odisha are little less and are around 27 percent and 15 percent respectively.

The proportion of girls marrying during 2007-09 below legal age is 6 percent. In urban areas the corresponding percentage is only 3 percent.

The customary marriages under the legal age are seen to have been significantly reduced from 31% to 6% which is about one-fifth.

5.    Madhya Pradesh

About 48% of currently married women age 20-24 years got married before the legal minimum age of 18 and about 43 percent of men age 25-29 years got married before the legal minimum age of 21 as per recent large scale survey.  The same for urban Madhya Pradesh are around 33 percent and 25 percent respectively.

The proportion of girls marrying during 2007-09 below legal age is 12.5 percent. In urban areas the corresponding percentage is only 4.1 percent.

The customary marriages under the legal age are seen to have been significantly reduced from 48% to 12.5% which is about one-forth.

6.    Chhattisgarh 

About 38% of currently married women age 20-24 years got married before the legal minimum age of 18 and about 33 percent of men age 25-29 years got married before the legal minimum age of 21 as per recent large scale survey.  The same for urban Chhattisgarh are around 28 percent and about 19 percent respectively.

The proportion of girls marrying during 2007-09 below legal age is 6 percent. In urban areas the corresponding percentage is only 3.7 percent.

The customary marriages under the legal age are seen to have been significantly reduced from 38% to 6% which is about one-sixth.

7.    Bihar

About 55% of currently married women age 20-24 years got married before the legal minimum age of 18 and about 42 percent of men age 25-29 years got married before the legal minimum age of 21 as per recent large scale survey.  The same for urban Bihar are around 45 percent and about 30 percent respectively.

The proportion of girls marrying during 2007-09  below legal age is 20 percent. In urban areas the corresponding percentage is only 11.0 percent.

The customary marriages under the legal age are seen to have been significantly reduced from 55% to 20% which is about one-third.

8.    Jharkhand

About 52% of currently married women age 20-24 years got married before the legal minimum age of 18 and about 34 percent of men age 25-29 years got married before the legal minimum age of 21 as per recent large scale survey.  The same for urban Jharkhand are around 39 percent and about 24 percent respectively.

The proportion of girls marrying during 2007-09 below legal age is 17.6 percent. In urban areas the corresponding percentage is only 8.4 percent.

The customary marriages under the legal age is seen to have been significantly reduced from 52% to 18% which is about one-third.

The present scene is the following:

S. No.	State	Proportion Women marrying before the legal age of 18 years
1	Rajasthan	22
2	Odisha	06
3	Bihar	20
4	Jharkhand	18
5	Madhya Pradesh	13
6	Chhattisgarh	06
7	Uttar Pradesh	09
8	Uttarakhand	03

The traditional problem of marrying the daughters before the legal age of 18 years is still quite significant in Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. 

The districts of Rajasthan where the problem is more acute are: Bhilwara (54%), Rajsamand (42%), Bundi (38%), Jhalawar (37%), Tonk (36%) and Dausa (35%).

The districts of Bihar where the problem is more acute are: Jamui (51%), Nawada (51%), Gaya (44%), Nalanda (37%), Sheikhpura (37%) and Lakhisarai (36%).

The districts of Jharkhand where the problem is more acute are: Dumka (38%), Deoghar (33%), Giridih (32%), Godda (28%), Kodarma (27%) and Pakaur (26%).

The districts of Madhya Pradesh where the problem is more acute are: Sheopur (54%), Tikamgarh (30%), Chhatarpur (29%), Barwani (27%), Rajgarh (27%) and Mandsaur (27%).

The districts of Uttar Pradesh where the problem is more acute are: Shrawasti (35%), Siddarthnagar (35%), Bundi (38%), Balrampur (35%), Lalitpur (33%) and Bahraich (27%).