Delayed Census 2021 Unlikely To Happen Soon As Budget 2024-25 Allocates Only 10 Per Cent Of Required Amount

The annual budget for the current financial year 2024-25 has allocated Rs 1,309.46 crore for the census, marking a considerable decrease from the Rs 3,768 crore allocated in 2021-22, suggesting it may not be conducted even after considerable delays.

On 24 December 2019, the Union cabinet approved the proposal to conduct the 2021 census of India at a cost of Rs 8,754.23 crore and to update the National Population Register (NPR) at a cost of Rs 3,941.35 crore.

The house listing phase of the census and the NPR update exercise, originally scheduled from 1 April to 30 September 2020, were immediately halted due to the pandemic.

The census operation since then remains on hold with no new schedule announced by the government, as per a report by The Hindu.

For the fiscal year 2024-25, Rs 1,309.46 crore has been allocated for census surveys and statistics, compared to Rs 578.29 crore in 2023-24. The entire census and NPR exercise is expected to cost the government over Rs 12,000 crore.

Whenever it occurs, this will be the first digital census, allowing citizens to self-enumerate.

The NPR is mandatory for those who wish to fill out the census form independently rather than through government enumerators. A self-enumeration portal has been designed but is yet to be launched.

During self-enumeration, Aadhaar or mobile numbers will be required. The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner has prepared 31 questions to be asked of citizens.