The North Bengal administration has introduced PARICHAY, a civic campaign designed to streamline official birth registration and vital documentation from the moment of birth. By coordinating local civic bodies and health centers across Siliguri and neighboring districts directly with birth registries, the initiative seeks to eliminate bureaucratic delays in issuing essential identity records for newborns. District magistrates, now empowered as District Registrars following a statewide transfer of authority from elected representatives to officials like DMs and nodal health officers, have emphasized that the unified digital workflow will relieve families from navigating complex administrative offices as noted by the District Magistrate Office.
This campaign aligns with broader reforms initiated by the West Bengal government, including notification No. 336(2)-Secy(HFW)/2026, which enforces strict compliance with the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Rules, 2026. Under current state mandates, birth certificate applications must utilize a formal First Name, Middle Name, and Last Name structure, while also including mandatory details such as village names, ward numbers, house codes, and PIN codes. Applicants registering births after 30 days but within one year are required to provide a reason for the delay and pay a fifty-rupee fee, subject to approval by the District Registrar or Additional District Registrar as outlined by the
North 24 Parganas administration.
State officials have described these structural reforms as essential purification measures intended to ensure accuracy and prevent the circulation of fraudulent documents. While local civic groups have welcomed the initiative for improving social welfare access, the government continues its state-wide re-verification of all birth and death certificates issued since 1997 through the digital Janma Mrityu Tathya portal. Any falsified documentation identified during this process is subject to immediate cancellation.
