The Union Cabinet on Tuesday cleared Rs 3,941 crore funding for the National Population Register, a project once propelled by the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance that has lately become controversial because it is the first step to create the contentious citizens’ register.
The decision was taken by the Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to update the National Population Register. It will cost Rs 3,941 crore, Union minister Prakash Javadekar announced at a cabinet briefing.
“There is no need of any proof, document and biometric as we believe on people. Whatever you will say would be correct. All states have accepted and notified it. The states have also started their campaign,” Javadekar said while addressing a press briefing.
WATCH | ‘NPR has nothing to do with NRC’, Govt gives nod for Population Register
“NPR will be on self declaration basis and only head count will be done.”
Eleven states have so far declared that they will not implement the National Register of Citizens. But there is no clarity how they will block the citizens’ register which does not need to go to parliament for any more approvals.
The door-to-door survey for the population register coincides with the house-listing phase of Census 2021 and will be carried out between April and September 2020 in all states.
When census enumerators go from house to house to list all houses in the country, they will carry a second form for the NPR with them like they did in 2011.
Once they fill the houselisting form - which canvasses details about the house and the assets of the people staying in the place - they will be required to get people to respond to a set of between 14-20 questions.
It is mandatory under the law for people to respond to the population register questionnaire.
{{/usCountry}}It is mandatory under the law for people to respond to the population register questionnaire.
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