'Forthcoming Census will be India's 1st digital Census': MoS Nityanand Rai in Rajya Sabha

Minister of State Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on July 28, Wednesday, informed the Rajya Sabha that the forthcoming Census will be the first-ever digital Census in the country. In a written reply to the question of BJP MP Roopa Ganguly, Nityanand Rai said that in the forthcoming digital Census, there is provision for self-enumeration as well. 

MHA on 2021 Census

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also informed that a mobile app for the collection of data and a Census portal for management and monitoring of various Census-related activities have been developed. Rai stated that due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Census and other Census-related field activities have been postponed until further orders. 

Earlier during the 2021 Budget Session, the Centre had announced that the forthcoming Census would be held digitally. Announcing Rs 3,768 crore for the upcoming Census, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that the forthcoming Census would be the first digital census in the history of India. 

Nirmala SItharaman had said, "For this monumental milestone marking task, I have allocated Rs Rs 3,768 crore for Financial Year 2021."

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier announced that the 2021 census will be conducted through a mobile phone application. The decision to move away from traditional pen and paper was taken to promote Digital India. Ha had said, "The process of a 'Pen-Paper Census' would be transformed to a 'Digital Census' in the 2021 Census exercise by using the latest technology."

With inputs from ANI

(Image: PTI)