Bhopal/Shivpuri : Even as the state government claims drastic decline in mortality rate in comparison to previous year in 2011, NGOs claim the figure has been exaggerated. According to state government 9000 infants were saved following installation of Neonatal Intensive Care units at district hospitals across the state. Citing decline of 62 per cent (per 1000 infants) in infant mortality rate, officials said that they have saved over 25,000 children in the last 5 years. The mortality was 76 per thousand in2005. “As per Sample Registration Survey (SRS) report for December 2011, infant mortality rate in the state registered a fall of five points representing a decline from 67 to 62 in the year 2009 while a decline of only 3 percent has been registered at the national level. Thus, the fall in infant mortality rate in MP is more than any other state” said a government release. While on other side, NGOs suspect that the government has exaggerated the figure. “178 infants died at one neonatal intensive care unit in Shivpuri from January to October in 2011. The total number of deaths in last 5 year was 654, which is very high” says a social activist at Shivpuri quoting documents obtained under RTI. The infant mortality rate was 90 per one 1000 during year 1999 which was brought down to 79 per 1000 in the interval of five years in 2004. A fall of 11 points was registered in IMR during these 5 years. A fall of 14 points was registered from 2005 to 2010. The Public Health Dep has fixed a target to bring down infant mortality rate to 60 per thousand for the year 2012.