First phase of Census postponed due to COVID-19: MHA

Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that the first phase of the census of India and National Population Register updation has been postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic. The cost of the 2021 census is estimated at Rs 8,754 crore and Rs 3,941 crore for NPR.

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry (MHA) on Wednesday has informed that the first phase of the census has been postponed in India due to COVID-19 pandemic.

"The first phase of census operations and other related field activities have been postponed due to outbreak of COVID-19," said Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in the Rajya Sabha. He said that publicity campaign for the census has also been halted.

"The publicity campaign is a part of census operations as all the enumerators are to be registered on the portal before undertaking enumeration work," he said.

The first phase of census 2021, supposed to start from April 1 to September 30 this year, has been postponed.

Rai said that the initial phase of census operations, which would have included related field activities such as the exercise to update the continuous National Population Register (NPR) has also been deferred.

Read:|Census taking to go digital this year

However, the government is yet to take a fresh call on when to start the activities given the fact that all government machineries are engaged in fighting the pandemic.

"The census operation is unlikely to start this year," said an official.

Censuses, considered as one of the largest administrative and statistical exercises involves around 30 lakh officials visiting every household across the nation.

The government, although decided to go with both Census and National Population Register side by side, was vehemently criticised by many of the opposition parties.

The cost of the 2021 census is estimated at Rs 8,754 crore (and Rs 3,941 crore for NPR).

Government opined that the NPR last carried out in 2010 will help create an identity database of genuine Indian residents.

Meanwhile, Rai said that proper arrangement has been made for data security of the census.

"Multiple Layered Security approach has been adopted for the security and safety of Census data. Data collection is to be done on registered devices of the enumerators appointed by the State Governments," he said and added that data is encrypted at the device, during the transmission and at servers and storage.

"The service of the system integrators have been hired for developing the mobile apps, management of census portal and related activities," Rai added.

Read:|Work collectively for Census of India & NPR: Centre tells States