Urgent Call for Census: 14 Crore Indians Await Food Security Benefits

Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi urged the government to complete the overdue population census, arguing that 14 crore people are missing out on benefits from the National Food Security Act. The act, based on the outdated 2011 Census, impacts food distribution for millions, highlighting the urgency of a new survey.

Sonia Gandhi, a prominent Congress figure, has called on the Indian government to promptly conduct a population census. According to her, approximately 14 crore people are being denied food security benefits due to reliance on outdated census data.

During her first Zero Hour intervention in the Rajya Sabha, Gandhi criticized the use of the 2011 Census for identifying beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). She emphasized the act's significance in ensuring food and nutritional access for India's massive population, especially during crises like Covid-19.

Highlighting the urgency, Gandhi pointed out that the distribution of food grains is still based on a decade-old census, affecting rightful entitlements for many. With budget allocations indicating further delays, she stressed the need for prioritizing the census completion to uphold food security as a fundamental right.

(With inputs from agencies.)