Senior Congress chief Jairam Ramesh. File.
| Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
Attacking the authorities on the first day of the G-20 summit, citing the greater than three-year delay in conducting the census, the Congress on September eight referred to as it “unprecedented failure” which has led to an estimated 14 crore folks being excluded from their meals entitlements. The occasion additionally accused the authorities of “suppressing” knowledge that it finds “inconvenient”.
“Nearly, every other G20 country has managed to conduct the Census, despite COVID-19, including other developing countries like Indonesia, Brazil, and South Africa. The Modi government is so inept and incompetent that it has been unable to carry out India’s most important statistical exercise that has been conducted on schedule since 1951. This is an unprecedented failure in the history of our nation,” occasion’s normal secretary (organisation) Jairam Ramesh mentioned in an announcement right here.
G20 Summit Delhi 2023 September 8 updates
In absence of census, he mentioned, an estimated 14 crore Indians being excluded from their meals entitlements assured to them below the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Under NFSA, 67% of Indians are entitled to meals rations. Since the Modi authorities didn’t conduct the Census in 2021, it solely gives NFSA protection to 81 crore folks primarily based on the 2011 Census, whereas 95 crore Indians are entitled to the NFSA protection, going by present estimates of the inhabitants. New beneficiaries aren’t being added and individuals are being denied their rights for a minimum of two years now.
Caste Census
Mr. Ramesh additionally attacked the authorities for suppressing the knowledge of the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste census. And going a step additional, he mentioned, the authorities additionally opposed the State-level caste census in Bihar. “Without establishing the count, categorisation and characterisation of the most numerous OBC population, it is impossible to ensure adequate development and social justice for all Indians. We firmly believe in the principle of parity not charity, for which the Caste Census is essential,” Mr. Ramesh mentioned.
The Congress chief claimed that the Modi-government “discredits, discards, or even discontinues collecting any data that it finds inconvenient to its narrative.” To again the cost, Mr. Ramesh cited information studies that the 2022-23 Consumer Expenditure Survey(CES) is more likely to be held again by the authorities till after the 2024 elections. “Although it was completed in July 2023. The Modi government is obviously afraid that its colossal mismanagement and bad governance will be exposed by the CES,” he mentioned.
Similarly, he mentioned, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of 2019-20 uncovered the lies of Modi Government—open defecation had not been eradicated, and the prevalence of anaemia elevated amongst girls and kids. “Embarrassed by its gross underperformance in health indicators, the Modi government suspended the Director of the International Institute of Population Sciences, which conducts the NFHS; it has also stopped measuring anaemia from NFHS-6,” he added.
