The Cabinet note approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conducting the Census and updation of National Population Register (NPR) doesn't mention the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC)

New Delhi: The Cabinet note approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conducting the Census and updation of National Population Register (NPR) doesn't mention the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC). Opposition parties, civil society groups and students have for weeks now been protesting the NRIC and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

However, officials involved in the largest administrative and statistical exercise in the world said there is no proposal of the NRIC in the Cabinet note and they will carry out the task of Census involving house listing, updation of NPR and population enumeration accordingly.

"The NRIC is not the aim of Census 2021, neither has it been mentioned in any of the Census 2021 documents. Even the updation of NPR has limited objective because it doesn’t require biometrics or documents. The biometrics during the NPR exercise in 2011 were already collected which were subsequently duplicated with Aadhaar because the government had divided states for NPR and Aadhaar exercises. We had not witnessed any protests or objections during the first NPR exercise and people had willingly participated because this data helps in designing welfare schemes," a government official said.

The first phase of updating the NPR is scheduled to start on 1 April when enumerators across the country will begin house listing and house census. The enumerators will also carry a separate form for updation of NPR except in the state of Assam. However, the controversy surrounding NRIC has triggered objection from the states ruled by the Opposition parties. The first phase will continue till September.

Documents reviewed by Firstpost reveal that in the house listing exercise, the Registrar General of India (RGI) will also focus on slum enumeration blocks and population for policy to improve the basic infrastructure like drinking water, sanitation, electricity, sewerage, streets, electricity, medical facilities etc. During the 2011 Census, 1.23 lakh slum enumeration blocks were reported across the country with a total population of 6.55 crore. The documents said comprehensive information on slums is essential for the formation of an effective and coordinated policy for their improvement and rehabilitation.​

As per the rule, state governments are to ensure the appointment of Census functionaries, enumerators and supervisors who are primarily responsible for collection of data during the exercise. One enumerator is generally assigned the work of a population of around 650 to 800 people and one supervisor is engaged for every six enumerators. The data is to be collected either on paper or through a smartphone-based mobile app specially designed and successfully tested by the government for the 2021 Census.