The first phase of the Census and the exercise to update the National Population Register (NPR), which was scheduled for this year but had to be deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic, might get delayed in the wake of the surging coronavirus cases.
It may be mentioned here that the Indian census is one of the largest administrative and statistical exercises in the world.
It involves over 30 lakh officials, who visit each household across the length and breadth of the country.
Informing about it, a senior official said, “Census is not an essential exercise for now. Even if it is delayed by a year, there would be no harm.”
“No final decision has been taken as to when the first phase of the Census 2021 and NPR update would take place,” the official said.
“However, it is almost certain that it will not be held in 2020 due to the increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases,” the official added.
The house-listing phase of the Census and the exercise to update NPR were scheduled to be carried out across the country from April 1 to September 30, 2020, but were postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.