Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday asked the government to immediately start the decadal census as well as caste census, saying a large number of people are being left out of welfare schemes due to the delay.
Expressing concern over the delay in conducting the decadal census during the Zero Hour in the House, the senior Congress leader said India has been conducting a census every 10 years since 1881.
It was conducted even during wars, emergencies, or other crises.
He recalled that back in 1931, a caste census was conducted along with the regular census.
Right before the 1931 census, Mahatma Gandhi had said that just like ‘we need periodic medical checkups to assess our health, a census is the most important checkup for a nation’, Kharge stated.
He said the census is a crucial exercise and involves a large number of people who collect data not just on population but also on employment, family structures, socio-economic conditions, and several other key aspects.
Even during major events like World War II and the India-Pakistan war of
1971-72, the census was conducted.
“But it is unfortunate that for the first time in history, the government has made a record delay (in conducting census)”, he said.
Kharge further said that along with the general census, a caste census is also possible because the government already collects data on Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), so it could collect data on other castes as well.
“But the government is silent on both the census and caste census,” he said.
He noted that 81 per cent of the countries in the world have successfully completed censuses despite Covid.
He said no clear statement is being made by the government regarding census in India.
Kharge said this year’s budget has allocated only `575 crore for the census which shows the government is unwilling to conduct it, Kharge said, and added delaying the census has serious consequences.
Without accurate and updated data, policies become arbitrary and ineffective.
He said several crucial surveys and
welfare programs — such as the Consumer Survey, National Family Health Survey, Periodic Labour Force Survey, National Food Security Act and National Social Assistance Programme — rely on census data.
Due to the delay in the census, a large number of people are being left out of welfare schemes.
Policymakers are making decisions without reliable and up-to-date data.
“Thus, I urge the government to immediately start the decadal census. Caste census and census should be conducted at the earliest,” the senior Congress leader said.
