New Delhi : The census is unlikely to be conducted this year as only Rs 1,309.46 crore has been allocated for it in the budget. This is much less than the 2021-22 budget. At that time, Rs 3,768 crore was allocated for the census.

The Union Cabinet, in its meeting held on December 24, 2019, had approved the proposal to conduct Census 2021 at a cost of Rs 8,754.23 crore and to complete the National Population Register (NPR) at a cost of Rs 3,941.35 crore.

No new program has been announced

It is worth noting that the Census and NPR work was to be done across the country from April 1 to September 30, 2020, but it was postponed due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The census work is still on hold and the government has not yet announced a new schedule for it.

Last year, an allocation of Rs 578.29 crore was made

Officials said that since general elections have been held this year, census work will not be done in 2024. According to Budget 2024-25, Rs 1,309.46 crore has been allocated for census survey and statistics. Rs 578.29 crore was allocated in 2023-24.

Thousands of crores will be spent on census

Officials said the entire census and NPR process is likely to cost the government more than Rs 12,000 crore. Whenever this work is done, it will be the first digital census, which will provide an opportunity to citizens to count themselves.