Effective resource planning and mobilisation are crucial for ensuring that the benefits of development reach every part of the country. The census plays a vital role in maximising resource use to benefit every household, including those in remote areas, while taking into account diverse age groups, genders, education levels, and skills. As one of the largest administrative exercises in the world, the Indian population census collects and analyses demographic, social, and economic data of all genuine citizens within a specified period.
The census, conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, and carried out by the Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, plays a crucial role in shaping political representation, as it determines the distribution of power within the country’s governance system. Regions receive representation in state and national legislatures based on population size.
Census data is essential for identifying families affected by displacement and ensuring that disadvantaged groups, such as the poor, elderly, ill, and marginalised communities, are not excluded. Household data—covering income, sources of livelihood, family size, and housing—helps officials verify and accurately prepare beneficiary lists before distributing compensation and welfare schemes, thereby reducing fraud. Remote villages gain inclusion in the census database, allowing the government to better plan and oversee the development of schools, roads, healthcare facilities, and other infrastructure while also safeguarding welfare benefits from abuse.
By supporting livelihood mapping, the census helps the government, development agencies, and planning bodies quantify the youth population, their educational levels, and skills. This information is vital for developing appropriate future employment strategies. Census data also assists in evaluating educational attainment, literacy rates, and the number of dropouts in specific areas, enabling targeted interventions in regions with low educational achievement. It further reveals opportunities for vocational training, providing dropouts and underqualified youth with skills such as carpentry, tailoring, or plumbing. Additionally, census insights guide decisions on establishing technical institutes such as ITIs, polytechnics, and nursing colleges. They can also help assess the potential for incubation parks, where support services, business education, and programmes on financial literacy and digital marketing can empower educated youth to become self-employed rather than seek jobs elsewhere.
Large projects such as the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) often require long-term rehabilitation efforts to support affected communities, in addition to financial compensation for land and livelihood losses. In this regard, socio-economic and village census data enable policymakers to better assess household economic conditions and access to education, markets, and transportation—especially critical in Arunachal Pradesh’s remote mountainous areas. Mapping villages and their population distribution helps government agencies plan infrastructure development, including roads and connectivity projects, promoting overall growth by improving mobility and access to education, healthcare, and employment. Health data guide the establishment of healthcare facilities such as PHCs, maternity services, and emergency services. Information on household size, income, and other factors helps in developing housing solutions suited to local environmental conditions.
In a culturally rich state like Arunachal Pradesh, major projects such as the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) should aim to safeguard indigenous and tribal identities while fostering modernisation. It is well known that indigenous communities share a profound emotional and spiritual bond with their ancestral lands, and this must be taken into account to prevent cultural alienation. Careful planning based on census data allows authorities to implement heritage preservation initiatives that promote inclusive development.
Since women and youth make up a significant portion of the population in any state, accurate demographic census data help the government implement welfare and employment programmes more effectively. Such data assist policymakers in:
- Designing region-specific employment schemes to target areas with high unemployment.
- Formulating women- and youth-centric welfare and financial measures.
- Regularly tracking the progress of different schemes and implementing updates to enhance their effectiveness.
The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) is of strategic importance, as it will help minimise the impact of floods caused by China’s sudden release of water, thereby preventing the loss of human life and other assets. It will also help maintain water levels during the dry season, mitigating drinking water crises. In addition to helping counter what is described as the Chinese ploy to weaponise water resources against India, the project will also help generate power to the extent of 11,200 MW, depending on the availability of water.
The genuine success of the SUMP will depend not just on building infrastructure or generating power but equally on how well displaced people are rehabilitated and compensated. This includes not only monetary support but also access to housing, education, healthcare, employment, and other social services. Ultimately, the project’s success will be measured by how seamlessly displaced individuals can rebuild their lives and live with dignity.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Northeast Now.