Since 2008, research by the Birbhum Population Project (BIRPOP) of Society for Health and Demographic Surveillance (SHDS) has been funded by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, India - Memo Number for the Formation of the Society for Health and Demographic Surveillance: HF/O/MERT/393/HSL(MISC)-35/2008, dated April 16, 2008).