No census in 2021, at least 14 crore deprived of National Food Security Act benefits: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to tell the country soon when the updated census will be conducted and demanded that it must also provide data on the population of communities categorised as OBCs to give "true meaning" to social justice enshrined in the Constitution.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said a comprehensive census essential for socioeconomic development is carried out by the Union government every 10 years. The last census was to be completed in 2021.

"But Mr Modi didn't get it done. One immediate consequence of not having census 2021 conducted is that at least 14 crore Indians are being deprived of benefits under the National Food Security Act, 2013, repackaged as PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana," he said.

"The "one-third" prime minister has to tell the country soon when the updated census will be conducted," the Congress general secretary said.

The decennial Census has since 1951 provided data on the population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, he noted.

The updated census must provide data on the population of communities categorised as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) as well, Ramesh said.

"This will give true meaning to social justice enshrined in our republic's Constitution that has just been saved by the people from an assault on it by Mr Modi, his cheerleaders, and drumbeaters," he added.

The Congress in its Lok Sabha poll manifesto had promised to carry out a nationwide caste survey.