No decision taken on updating NPR, govt tells Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: The home ministry on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that the government has not taken any decision on updating the National Population Register (NPR).

As per the original Census 2021 plan, NPR updation was to be conducted alongside the first or houselisting phase of the census.

Replying to a question, junior home minister Nityanand Rai said: “No decision has been taken to update the National Population Register. The intent to conduct the Census has been notified. The period of conducting houselisting and housing Census will be notified in due course”.

TOI was the first to report on June 17 that the govt was not keen on NPR updation simultaneously with Census 2027 . While the intent to conduct Census and the reference date of March 1, 2027 has been notified, there is no official word or notification yet on updating NPR.

The notification regarding the intent to update NPR — which, as per Citizenship Rules, is the first stage of preparation of National Register of Indian citizens (NRIC) — along with Census 2021 was issued on July 31, 2019. NPR was first prepared in 2010 and updated in 2015.