Census indefinitely delayed, vital reports on births and deaths pending since 2020
The delay in conducting India’s decadal Census and the prolonged non-release of vital statistics reports create a significant data vacuum that hampers effective public policy. Without accurate, up-to-date information on births, deaths, and demographic shifts, the government struggles to plan healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation programs. This lack of evidence-based oversight means that critical welfare initiatives, such as food security schemes, risk excluding millions of eligible citizens who cannot be precisely identified or counted. Central to this issue is the political hesitation surrounding caste enumeration, which has stalled the Census despite the existence of a digital infrastructure for real-time civil registration. While the state now possesses the technological means to track vital events instantly, the refusal to update the broader population census suggests a deliberate choice to avoid disaggregated caste data. This divergence highlights a tension between operational digital transparency and political reluctance to engage with sensitive demographic realities that could influence reservation policies and electoral calculations. For the open data community, this situation underscores the critical importance of maintaining independent, accessible repositories of public information. When the state delays releasing mandatory statistical reports, it erodes accountability and makes it difficult for researchers, activists, and civil society to verify government claims or hold policymakers responsible. Ensuring that vital statistics and census data are published transparently and regularly is essential for fostering a society where decisions are driven by evidence rather than opacity, preserving the integrity of democratic governance and social equity.
Source: thehindu.comPublished on 2025-02-06