The decadal census of India, which was to have taken place in 2021 and was postponed citing the Covid pandemic, is now being indefinitely postponed for wrong and unconvincing reasons. It has been held every 10 years since 1911, but there are clear signs that it may not be held in the near future. Preparations had started for the 2021 census, but the exercise was deemed to need physical proximity of people and enumerators and that was not possible during lockdowns and physical distancing. But the government did not restart the preparations or get on with the process even after the pandemic had receded.
The Registrar General of India, which conducts the census, has not completed the house listing process. The deadline for freezing boundaries of administrative jurisdictions has been extended to June 30. As the census can start only some months after this, it is unlikely to be held soon.
The importance of the census exercise cannot be overstated as it provides the basic data that is essential for various purposes of governance. It gives a clear picture of all aspects of life of the people. The information on the population numbers at the national, state and local levels is only one benefit. The break-up of the population in terms of age and many social and economic parameters is necessary for policy formulations. Development programmes and policies have to be based on data on housing, education, health, caste, fertility, literacy, and their distribution across states, regions and districts. Such data is needed for micro-level planning, too.
The need for a school or a hospital in an area will depend on relevant data from that particular area. Information about urbanisation and migration of people is crucial in many respects. Demographic data is needed for shaping and targeting of welfare schemes. The correctness of the claims of the government or other agencies on the performance of their programmes, as in case of housing, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, Covid deaths, etc., can all be tested with such data.
The data available at present is from the 2011 census and much of it is outdated now. It is unfortunate that the government has not taken the census seriously. Its policy on data has left much to be desired in the past. It is likely that the government does not want the census to be held before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for political reasons. That is very wrong. The census can still be held if the government wants to.
The census provides the nation with its picture in time, and it should not be deprived of it.