Modi Government is expected to finally start conducting its long-delayed population census in September, according to the sources of the two government offices involved in the process. This decision can be seen as PM Modi aiming to address key data gaps in his third term, following years of criticism from opposition parties.
The Covid-19 outbreak caused a delay in the completion of India's once-a-decade census, which was scheduled for 2021. The new poll will start next month and take around 18 months to finish, according to two government insiders who are closely involved in the situation.
Why is Population Census Important
The latest census's delay has drawn criticism from economists both inside and outside the government because it affects the accuracy of numerous other statistical studies that provide information on the economy, inflation, and job estimates.
The majority of these data sets are currently based on the 2011 population census, which is also the basis for government programs based on the data.
- Government initiatives based on old population data will be malformed. This may affect the essence of the government schemes, thus not benefitting the population in total.
- The latest population census will also help the government in the fair allocation of resources and services based on population size and demographics.
- Researchers, scholars, and analysts can examine demographic trends, population distribution, migration patterns, and socioeconomic features with the help of population census data.
- Population censuses have proved themselves to be useful for tracking changes over time in demographic indicators state as well as country-wise, such as migration patterns, fertility and death rates, and population growth.
Who Conducts Population Census?
In India, the population census is conducted every 10 years by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The last census took place in 2011.
Currently, the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has set a timeline for the next census, aiming to release the results by March 2026, covering a 15-year period.
The final decision from higher authorities (PM’s office) is still pending before the process can begin.
India surpassed China to become the world's most populated country last year, according to a United Nations report that was published last year. However, there was no official confirmation from the Indian government’s side regarding the report.
The Indian government is also working to update its economic data, which includes retail inflation, and reweights several categories—including food—to account for shifts in consumer behavior.
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