Finalise social, religious Census data: Parl panel to govt

A Parliamentary panel on Tuesday expressed its “dismay” over the inordinate delay in publishing socio-religious Census data of 2011 and said it was beyond comprehension as to how the government could fix targets of various schemes in the absence of vital statistics.

Emphasising on pursuing the matter urgently with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment asked the Minority Affairs Ministry for early finalisation of the data.

“The matter may be pursued for early finalisation of data regarding notified communities or the minorities living below the poverty line and below double the poverty line and their percentage to all India percentage of BPL population.

“The committee also desires that this information should be displayed in the website too,” the committee said.

Slamming the Minority Affairs Ministry, the committee said it wad equally dismayed over its casual reply that it did not collect information on persons belonging to minority community below the poverty line and below double poverty line.

As on January 27, 2014, Government has notified six minority communities such as Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs and Parsis. The combined population of these communities in the country as per the 2001 census was 19.38 crore.

Noting that important minority community targeted projects have not been undertaken by states such as West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Haryana among others, the committee desired close monitoring of these schemes.