How accurate can projections made by economists and other development experts be based on data from the 2011 census? Why is there the continued delay in holding the decadal census, which had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak? There has been no indication from the government on when this will be undertaken.
One of the reasons why many politicians seem out of date when speaking of socio-economic conditions is because much of it is extrapolation of the 2011 data. They need to realise that in the years after that census, there have been the most rapid changes in India on all fronts. As such, people find it strange when their experienced reality is poorly reflected in government data. Researchers and administrators are forced to depend on secondary and limited information to work on their projects, and it is no surprise that the structure and outcomes are quite off the mark.
This absence of the real figures also makes it easy for misinformation to be spread by vested interests. It becomes hard to counter, because the facts are not available. Take for instance, the exaggerated claims being made by LS Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on the share of various castes in the population and their socio-economic conditions. The supposed counts undertaken from this singular perspective have also not been officially released by Congress state governments obviously because there are contradictions and anomalies that do not match with the ‘proportional representation’ concept.
It is strange that the Modi Government, which otherwise takes pride in speedy decision-making and implementation, should be taking its time in announcing the dates for the next census. Does it fear that there is substance to the opposition’s claims and the emerging facts would prove politically inconvenient at a time when important elections are due? Whatever the reasons, the decision makers should realise that it is better to work on hard facts than remain uncertain about such crucial issues.
