Census

Unwarranted delay in conducting Census hurting many social policies: Cong

The Congress on Thursday hit out at the Modi government for not getting the decadal Census done, saying this "unwarranted delay" is hurting many social policies and programmes. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared a media report on X which said that with the decadal Census exercise pending since 2021 and unlikely to be conducted this year, at least two other key reports on births and deaths in the country have not been released by the Union Home Ministry for the past five years. "This unwarranted delay in conducting the decadal Census, due in 2021 but still not conducted, is hurting many social policies and programmes - including reservations for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, and food security entitlements," Ramesh said on X. The Congress on Saturday had said it is "highly disappointing" that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget speech made no mention of releasing funds for the decadal population census. The party had pointed out

Census, NPR unlikely in 2025 too as only Rs 574 crore allocated in Budget

If budgetary proposals are anything to go by, the decadal census is unlikely to be carried out in 2025 as well with a meagre Rs 574.80 crore allocated for the exercise in the Budget presented on Saturday. A meeting of the Union Cabinet on December 24, 2019 had approved the proposal for conducting census of India 2021 at a cost of Rs 8,754.23 crore and updating the National Population Register (NPR) at Rs 3,941.35 crore. The house listing phase of the census and the exercise to update the NPR were scheduled to be carried out across the country from April 1 to September 30, 2020 but were postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The census operation continues to be on hold and the government has not yet announced the new schedule. The Budget 2025-26, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, allocated Rs 574.80 crore for Census, Surveys and Statistics/Registrar General of India (RGI), a significant reduction from the Budget 2021-22 when Rs 3,768 crore was allocated,

Govt cuts Census budget allocation by half, RGI to seek additional funds

The Union Home Ministry has halved the Census and Statistics budget for 2024-25, with provisions for the Registrar General of India to request additional funds for the delayed census

As Census looms after years of delay, questions over expenditure persist

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also expected to gather up the unspent capex and allocation for the current fiscal to push for a massive spending effort in FY26

Making sense of the census: Do young marketing execs grasp its importance?

Census 2026 (as it may be called) will help us get a better picture and spur many more interesting questions to ask in marketing interviews

Iraq launches its first nationwide census in nearly four decades

The last nationwide census was held in 1987 in Iraq, followed by a census in 1997 which did not include certain Kurdish regions

Caste census, removing 50% quota cap central to vision for country: Cong

The Congress on Saturday asserted that a nationwide caste survey and the lifting of the Supreme Court's "arbitrary ceiling" of 50 per cent on reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes are central to its vision for the country. Congress general secretary in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X that the party's government in Telangana will begin its caste survey on Saturday. He said 80,000 enumerators will be going door to door over the next few weeks, covering over 1.17 crore households across 33 districts. This is the first time a caste-based survey is being conducted by the government in Telangana since 1931, Ramesh said. "It is a historic, revolutionary moment -- one that is a realisation of the Telangana Movement's aspirations for the state and a fulfillment of one of the key ideals of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution," the Congress general secretary said. It is also, as Rahul Gandhi noted in Hyderabad earlier this

Population growth to fertility rate: What census 2025 might reveal

The census would set the stage for the delimitation exercise and introduction of the Women Reservation Act

Census to begin in 2025? Know latest updates here

After four-year delay, Centre may commence population Census in 2025

The Opposition has been criticising the Narendra Modi-led coalition government for delaying the decadal Census programme, while demanding a caste-based Census

Govt launches 21st livestock census, $25 mn fund for animal health security

Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Friday launched 21st Livestock Census which will be conducted till February next year at a cost of Rs 200 crore and said the availability of precise data will help the government frame policies for ensuring health security of animals and achieve higher growth in the sector. Singh, who is Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, also launched a USD 25 million 'Pandemic Fund Project' to strengthen animal health security in India for pandemic preparedness and response. Addressing an event, the minister said that this livestock census should be undertaken with full honesty and sincerity. He asked his ministry officials to monitor this census operation regularly. "The livestock census operation will be conducted with a budget of Rs 200 crore. The cost will be entirely funded by the central government," he told reporters. The report will come next year. The 21st Livestock Census, to be conducted during October 2024-February 2025 period, w

TFR in South India explained: Why are they worried about population growth?

Concerns over delimitation of Lok Sabha seats and a fall in fertility rates in South India have states revisiting family planning schemes

Govt extends census commissioner Mritunjay Narayan's tenure till 2026

The central deputation of Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, currently serving as Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, has been extended till August 2026, paving the way for him to lead the team to carry out the much-delayed decadal census of India. Narayan is a 1995 batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre and he is holding the key post under the Ministry of Home Affairs since 2020. "The President is pleased to extend the central deputation tenure of Shri Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, IAS (UP:1995), Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Ministry of Home Affairs beyond 06.12.2024 for a period up to 04.08.2026 or until further orders whichever is earlier. The Headquarters of Shri Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, IAS (UP:1995) will be New Delhi," according to an official notification. The house listing phase of the census and the exercise to update the National Population Register (NPR) were scheduled to be carried out across the country from April 1 to September 30, 2020 b

Will long-delayed census be used for allocation of seats in LS: Congress

The Congress on Monday asked whether the long-delayed census would be used for allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha and said the success of South Indian states in family planning should not end up reducing their political representation in Parliament. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the South Indian states should not be be penalised for their success in family planning and suitable formulae should be worked out to ensure that this does not happen. He said South Indian states were pioneers in family planning. First to reach replacement levels of fertility was Kerala in 1988, followed by Tamil Nadu in 1993, Andhra Pradesh in 2001 and Karnataka in 2005, he pointed out. However, there have been concerns voiced for quite some time now that these successes could end up reducing the political representation of these states in Parliament, Ramesh said. "That is why in 2001 the Vajpayee Govt amended the Constitution (Article 82) to make the readjustmen

1st state-sponsored census in Odisha reveals presence of 696 leopards

The first state-sponsored leopard census conducted in Odisha has revealed the presence of 696 leopards in different forest areas of the state, officials said. The census report was released by the state's Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia during an event to celebrate the State Wildlife Week here on Thursday. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had conducted the last leopard census in Odisha in 2022, during which 568 leopards were found. The population of leopards in the state was 760, as per the 2018 NTCA census. Commenting on the All Odisha Leopard Estimation', Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Wildlife, Susanta Nanda said about 200 leopards were located in the Similipal Tiger Reserve and surrounding areas, which is the highest in the state. The Satkosia landscape turned out to be another promising site for these animals, boasting the second-highest leopard population in the state at 150, Nanda said. During the cen

Govt to announce national census very soon, details to be made public: Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday that the government will "very soon" make an announcement for carrying out the census in the country. "We will announce it very soon," Shah said in response to a question on conducting the decadal census of the Indian population which has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shah, along with I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, was addressing a press conference to mark the 100 days of the third tenure of the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "We will make all the details public when we announce the census," the Union home minister said to questions on the caste census. India has conducted the census every 10 years since 1881. The first phase of this decade's census was expected to begin on April 1, 2020 but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shah's comments on the census comes amid vociferous demands political parties on conducting a caste census. In the absence of fresh data, the government agencies are ..

'Govt to get census underway soon, One Nation One Election also on cards'

Sources say the ruling NDA government is committed to hold simultaneous general and assembly elections

Census likely to be held soon; no decision yet on caste column: Report

The government has started preparations for conducting the decadal census, but a decision is yet to be taken on including a column on caste as part of the exercise, sources said on Sunday. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one source said that the decadal census will be conducted soon. India has conducted the census every 10 years since 1881. The first phase of this decade's census was expected to begin on April 1, 2020 but had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, enacted by Parliament last year, too is linked to the conduct of the decadal census. The law reserving one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken based on the relevant figures of the first census recorded after the Act has come into force. "This is yet to be decided," the source said when asked about inclusion of a column on caste in the decadal census. The politic

Centre dissolves key statistics panel; Oppn alleges link to census demand

The Congress criticised the Centre for dissolving the Standing Committee on Statistics, claiming it was due to their questions about the delayed 2021 Census

RSS backs caste census for welfare, opposes its use for electoral purposes

Ever since the Opposition INDIA bloc demanded a caste census, the BJP leadership had taken to talk of welfare of the four 'castes', namely, women, the poor, farmers, and youth