Any further delay in Census taking is perilous

When the Centre did not extend the deadline of June 30, 2024 to freeze administrative boundaries for the purpose of the Census, hopes were raised that the decennial Census operations, initially scheduled to begin in 2020 as a prelude to Census 2021, would at least commence in October 2024. It usually takes about three months after the boundaries are set, to make massive preparations for the field work. However, these expectations were belied when the Budget 2024-25 recently allocated ₹1,309.46 crore for the Census, a significant reduction from 2021-22 when ₹3,768 crore was allocated for the decadal exercise, thereby indicating that it may not be carried out even after the considerable delay. The next Census, therefore, continues to be on hold with the government yet to announce the new schedule.

Conducting the Census on a priority basis is a must, as in the absence of a Census after 2011, a majority of our country’s population is unable to access several schemes, benefits and services. Moreover, the implementation of the women’s Reservation Act passed in the Parliament last year, reserving 33% of seats in Parliament and Assemblies for women, awaits the conduct of the Census.