The long delayed population census in India is expected to begin in September this year, as informed by the sources, in a media report.
Delayed Sensus Likely To Commence In September
As we know, this once-a-decade census was due to be completed in 2021 but appears to be delayed because of the pandemic.
They are expecting this to take about 18 months to complete the new survey when it begins next month, said the sources known to the matter.
This decennial exercise holds a great significance as it will help address significant data gaps in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term in office.
Further the official said that the MHA and Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation have drawn up a timeline and aim to release results by March 2026.
The comprehensive survey will take around 18 months to complete, with the results expected to be released by March 2026, said the government officials directly involved in the process.
Delay Drawing Strong Criticism Compromising Accuracy
In the meantime, the continued delay in the census has drawn strong criticism, with economists and policymakers, both within and outside the government.
Giving the argument that the delay has compromised the accuracy and relevance of various statistical surveys, including those related to economic data, inflation, and employment estimates.
At present, most of these data sets rely on the outdated data provided by the 2011 census hence rendering many government schemes and policies less effective.
As far as the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme implementation is concerned, it has been working on a detailed timeline for the census.
Although, the final approval from the Prime Minister’s Office is awaited.
Interestingly, the Union government has reduced this year’s budget for the 2021 Census, despite the urgency of this exercise.
Earlier, the Union Cabinet had approved a budget of ₹8,754.23 crore for the census and an additional ₹3,941.35 crore for updating the National Population Register (NPR).
But, it was slashed to ₹1,309 crore in the Union Budget 2024-25, a drastic reduction from the ₹3,768 crore set aside in 2021-22.
This reduction has casted doubts on the exercise this year as well.
The Congress leader Jairam Ramesh expressed disappointment that the finance minister’s budget announcements made no mention of adequately funding the census, last month.
