All births and deaths in Kohima district must be registered within 21 days, with registrations beyond one year requiring approval from the Deputy Commissioner, District Economics and Statistics Officer (DESO) Kohima, Theyieneinuo Belho said during the Kohima District Planning & Development Board (DPDB) meeting.
Presenting a detailed overview of the Civil Registration System (CRS), Belho stated that the Department of Economics and Statistics has been the nodal agency for birth and death registration in Nagaland since 2000. She underlined that delayed registration beyond the stipulated 21 days requires additional authorisation, while cases exceeding one year mandate approval from the Deputy Commissioner.
She emphasised the legal and administrative importance of birth and death certificates, stating that such documents are essential for identity verification, inheritance claims, insurance processes, and planning in the health and population sectors.
Highlighting reforms, Belho informed that the department is transitioning from paper-based data collection to digital platforms. Citizens can now apply for birth certificates online either through designated registrars or directly from their homes.
She cautioned the public to verify the official seal on old manually issued certificates and advised applicants seeking digitisation to approach the issuing office. Certificates issued up to April 2022 are eligible for digitisation using either the certificate copy or HSLC admit card, while certificates issued after April 2022 must be applied for afresh under the new system.
Belho also noted that the department compiles and publishes data collected from line departments such as Agriculture, Horticulture, Veterinary, and Water Resources for planning and public use, including Gross State and District Domestic Product estimates, Consumer and Wholesale Price Index statistics, and development indicators.
The DPDB meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Kohima, B Henok Buchem, in the presence of MLA and DPDB Chairman Kevipodi Sophie. During the meeting, the Kohima District Road Safety Award 2026 was presented, and the Board reviewed pending agenda items including clarification on the upgradation of Government Middle School, Phezoucha to Government High School.