MHA to start work related to 2021 census this year, Rajnath Singh chairs meet on road map

New Delhi: The work related to 2021 census, covering the country’s entire 1.30 billion population, will begin this year, the home ministry said on Wednesday. The issue and the road map for undertaking the census in 2021 were discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. With regard to the census 2021, the activities required to be undertaken in 2018 were discussed at the meeting, a statement issued by the ministry said. [caption id=“attachment_4240615” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Home Minister Rajnath Singh. PTI[/caption] These include firming up the design, stakeholders meeting and pilot exercise in selected states. The last census was undertaken in 2011. According to the census reports of Indian Census 2011, the population of India was 1,210,854,977. The home minister also discussed the progress in updating National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, completion of the activities relating to National Population Register, measures to improve and strengthen the civil registration system. In regard to the update of NRC in Assam, it was informed that the part draft list covering 1.9 crore applicants, in respect of whom the process of verification has been completed, has been published on 31 December, 2017 as per the directions of the Supreme Court. Another draft list comprising remaining applicants will be published subsequently after completion of their verification, the statement said. The process is being undertaken in a fair and objective manner and under the monitoring of the Supreme Court and after the publication of the complete draft NRC, claims and objections will be invited, it said. The home minister was informed that the works relating to National Population Register updated in 2015 have been completed in most of the states. The meeting was informed about that the progress of civil registration system and it was brought out that registration level of birth is 88 percent and death is about 76.6 percent at an all India level. The Vital Rates for 2016 under Sample Registration System have been released recently according to which the birth rate at all India level is 20.4 and death rate is 6.4 and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is 34. The need to have geo-referenced map pertaining to all villages and town was also highlighted by the home minister. The Registrar General and Census Commissioner also briefed about the other functions of the organisation relating to language, social studies and map divisions. Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and other senior officers of the RGI and home ministry were also present in the meeting.