'Will seek more funds for Census', MHA tells Parliamentary panel amid fears of further delay

New Delhi: Amid a smaller budgetary allocation for Census operations in 2025-26, triggering speculation about a further delay in carrying out the exercise, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has told a Parliamentary panel that it will seek additional funds as and when the exercise is undertaken.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs urged the Ministry to complete the Census, which could not be held in 2021 as per schedule due to the Covid-19 pandemic, at the earliest.

In its report on the Demands for Grants (2025-26) of the MHA, the panel said the availability of funds should not be a factor for Census-related work and other operations. The entire Census and National Population Register (NPR) exercise is expected to cost the government more than Rs 12,000 crore, officials said.

The Budget for 2025-26, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, allocated Rs 574.80 crore for Census, Surveys, and Statistics/Registrar General of India (RGI), as against an allocation of Rs 1,309.46 crore in 2024-25, which was revised to Rs 572 crore.

The MHA told the panel that the 2024-25 allocation was reduced as the Census was not declared, and due to this, the Budget estimates for 2025-26 "for the time being" have been kept at Rs 574.80 crore, "considering the expected liabilities" for various activities.

“The Ministry has further informed that many of the Census-related preparatory activities have been completed, and technological updates are in progress. Therefore, as and when the Census exercise is undertaken, additional funds will be sought as per the year-wise requirement,” the MHA told the multi-party committee.

The Budget allocation for 2025-26 encompasses various activities aimed at continuing preparatory work for the Census and NPR, including technological updates. It covers the salaries and allowances for officers and officials involved in the Census, NPR, Civil Registration System (CRS), Sample Registration System (SRS), geospatial mapping, IT, and language departments.

Additionally, it said the expenditure would be directed towards the operation and maintenance of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) data center and security measures for the NRC in Assam.

The panel, headed by BJP MP Radha Mohan Das Aggarwal, also acknowledged the assertions by the MHA on the progress made in the preparatory work for the Census and NPR.

It appreciated the MHA's “continuous efforts” in enhancing the technological infrastructure and data management systems, particularly the development of geospatial databases, the Census Mapping Portal, and the revamping of the Civil Registration System (CRS) portal.

The committee also said the timely implementation of the amended Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, and the successful launch of the revamped CRS portal would improve accessibility and efficiency in birth and death registrations.

The automation of the Sample Registration System (SRS) and the deployment of improved web portals are commendable steps towards streamlining data collection and real-time monitoring. It said the MHA may “explore and leverage” additional existing digital platforms and tools, such as mobile phone connections, Aadhaar, and other government databases for real-time data collection.

“Further, linking the data collected through these digital channels with the Aadhaar database can provide additional verification layers, ensuring data integrity and reducing the need for manual cross-checking,” it added.