No NPR notification yet, but Budget allocates funds, Pg4

Key Highlights:

• The Union Budget 2026-27 allocates ₹6,000 crore for the National Population Register (NPR) and Census 2027.
• The Houselisting phase of the census is scheduled between April 1 and September 30 of this year, but without any notification regarding the NPR.
• The NPR exercise faced opposition in 2019 due to concerns about its connection to the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
• The NPR was previously approved with a budget of ₹3,941.35 crore but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Detailed Insights:

• The NPR is conducted alongside the Houselisting phase of the census, as per census rules.
• The allocation in the budget includes provisions for the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India and various schemes, including the NPR and expenditure on Census 2027.
• Concerns arose in 2019 following the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, with fears that the NPR could facilitate the NRC, potentially depriving minorities of citizenship.
• Several states passed resolutions opposing the NPR, leading the central government to postpone it, despite prior approval and allocated funds.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated that no decision has been made regarding conducting the NPR exercise, and the allocation is consistent with previous budgets since 2020-21.
• The NPR is considered a precursor to the NRC and is governed by the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, framed under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
• The rules outline the process for preparing the Population Register and verifying citizenship, with provisions for marking individuals with doubtful citizenship for further inquiry.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Population Register (NPR): A register containing details of persons usually residing in a local area.
• Census: A periodic count of a country's population, including demographic and socio-economic data.
• National Register of Citizens (NRC): A register containing details of Indian citizens after verification from the Population Register.