Representative image.

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha's infant mortality rate (IMR) has declined by 56 points, the most in the country, according to a national survey released on Thursday.

In 2000, the IMR in Odisha was 96 per 1000 births, which has come down to 40 per 1000 births, the 4th round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2015-16 said.

During the same period, the national average of IMR has reduced by 27 points, coming down from 68 to 41.

"On achieving highest point decline in the country, that is 56 points since 2000, Odisha's IMR is 40 per 1000 live births, which is lower than the national average," chief minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters here at the state secretariat after a review meeting.

Quoting the NFHS report, Naveen said the state has achieved a sharp increase in institutional deliveries, family planning and ante-natal care of mothers.

The chief minister said Odisha performed better than the national average on indicators like under-5 mortality rate, underweight, malnourishment and total fertility rate.

To ensure safe deliveries and healthy infants, Naveen said the Mamata scheme - a conditional cash transfer maternity benefit scheme for pregnant women and lactating mothers - has made a significant contribution.

In his recent budget speech, finance minister Pradip Amat claimed Mamata scheme has been replicated by the Centre as a national programme.

Congratulating officials of the state government over reduction of IMR, Naveen urged them to further focus on decreasing IMR and maternal mortality rate (MMR) in Odisha.

The chief minister also claimed that programmes like Mukhya Mantri Swasthya Seva (MMSS) Mission and SAMPURNA will help in bringing down the IMR and MMR in the state.

