Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Monday urged the government to conduct the population Census at the earliest, claiming that approximately 14 crore people are being deprived of benefits under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) due to outdated data.
During her maiden Zero Hour intervention in Rajya Sabha, Gandhi pointed out that NFSA beneficiaries are still being identified based on the 2011 Census rather than current population figures.
She highlighted that under the NFSA, 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population are entitled to subsidised food grains.
“However, the quota for beneficiaries is still determined based on the 2011 Census, which is now well over a decade old. For the first time in independent India’s history, the decennial Census has been delayed for more than four years. Originally scheduled for 2021, there is still no clarity on when the Census will be conducted,” she said.
Gandhi further pointed out that allocations in the Union Budget 2025-26 suggest that the Census is unlikely to take place this year as well.
As a result, she said, “Around 14 crore eligible Indians are thus being deprived of their rightful benefits under the NFSA.”
Emphasizing the urgency of the issue, Gandhi called on the government to prioritise the completion of the Census to ensure that all deserving individuals receive their due benefits.
“It is imperative that the government prioritises the completion of the Census as soon as possible and ensures that all deserving individuals receive the benefits guaranteed to them under the NFSA. Food security is not a privilege but a fundamental right,” she asserted.
Gandhi also underscored the significance of the NFSA, introduced in September 2013 by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. She described it as a landmark initiative aimed at securing food and nutritional security for India’s 140 crore population.
She noted that the legislation played a crucial role in safeguarding millions of vulnerable households from starvation, particularly during the Covid-19 crisis, and laid the foundation for the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.