Conduct census at the earliest, Kharge tells government

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the House during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Tuesday, April 1, 2025 | Photo Credit: PTI

Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge during the Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (April 1, 2025) urged the government to immediately start the decadal census, arguing that in the absence of the latest population data, several eligible beneficiaries are facing exclusion.

Expressing concern over the delay in conducting the decadal census during the Zero Hour in the House, the senior Congress leader said India has been conducting a census every 10 years since 1881. “Even during major events like World War II and the India-Pakistan war of 1971-72, the census was conducted. “But it is unfortunate that for the first time in history, the government has made a record delay (in conducting census)“, Mr. Kharge said.

Caste census

He also stressed the need for a caste census, invoking Mahatma Gandhi’s words, before the 1931 census when the caste census was conducted along with the regular population count. Gandhi had said, “we need periodic medical checkups to assess our health, a census is the most important checkup for a nation.”

The census, Mr. Kharge said, is a crucial exercise and involves a large number of people who collect data not just on population but also on employment, family structures, socio-economic conditions, and several other key aspects.

Along with the general census, a caste census is also possible because the government already collects data on Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), so it could collect data on other castes as well. “But the government is silent on both the census and caste census,” he said. He noted that 81% of the countries in the world have successfully completed census despite COVID.

He said no clear statement is being made by the government regarding census in India. Mr. Kharge said this year’s Budget has allocated only ₹575 crore for the census which shows the government is unwilling to conduct it, adding that delaying the census has serious consequences.

Mr. Kharge pointed out that many surveys and welfare programmes — such as the Consumer Survey, National Family Health Survey, Periodic Labour Force Survey, National Food Security Act, and National Social Assistance Programme — rely on census data. Policies drafted in absence of reliable and up to date data make them arbitrary and ineffective. “Due to the delay in the census, a large number of people are being left out of welfare schemes,” he added. 

~The Hindu