Kharge Urges Immediate Census Amidst Concerns Over Government Delay

Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, has called for the immediate commencement of the decadal and caste censuses. He emphasizes the severe impact of the government's delay on welfare schemes, noting its deviation from the historical pattern of conducting censuses every 10 years, even during crises.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, has raised concerns about the Indian government's delay in conducting the decadal and caste censuses. Addressing the issue during the Zero Hour, Kharge stressed the historical significance of the census, which has been conducted every decade since 1881, even amidst wars and emergencies.

Kharge highlighted that a caste census, similar to the one conducted in 1931 alongside the regular census, is both necessary and feasible. He pointed out the government's current collection of data on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, arguing for the inclusion of broader caste data.

The delay, according to Kharge, has resulted in inadequate policies and affected numerous welfare programs that rely on census data. He urged the government to allocate sufficient resources and commence the census urgently, expressing concern over the lack of clear communication from authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)