Shimla, Jan 9 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Monday sought special financial assistance from the central government to strengthen health services, an official statement said here.

State Health Minister Rajeev Bindal met Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi and sought funds for improving medical services in the state.

“The state should get a special package as it has succeeded in reducing the infant mortality rate (IMR) and increasing institutional deliveries,” the statement quoting Bindal said.

Bindal said as per sample registration system (SRS) 2010 data, the IMR had come down to 40 from 46 in 2009.

The minister said it had been possible due to successful implementation of the programmes under the central government-funded National Rural Health Mission.

Regarding institutional deliveries, Bindal said the numbers have increased to 70 percent.

As per 2011 provisional Census figures, Lahaul and Spiti district in the state has set an example in sex ratio with 1,013 girls per 1,000 boys under six years of age - the highest in the country at the district level.

The population of Himachal Pradesh is 6,856,509, of which 3,473,892 are males and 3,382,617 females. The population accounts for 0.57 percent of the total population of the country which has been put at 1.21 billion.