Congress Slams Govt for Ending Statistics Committee Amid Census Concerns

The Congress criticised the government on Sunday for the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation's decision to dissolve the Standing Committee on Statistics. They claimed this action was taken because the committee members repeatedly questioned why the decennial Census, due in 2021, had not yet been conducted.

Standing Committee Dissolution

According to a report in The Hindu, the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation quietly dissolved the 14-member Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS). This committee was led by renowned economist and former chief statistician Pronab Sen. Allegedly, the dissolution occurred after members questioned the delay in conducting the census.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, expressed his concerns. He stated, "And for what? Simply for repeatedly asking the Government why the decennial Census last due in 2021 has still not been conducted thereby, among other things, denying at least 10 crore Indians of ration benefits under National Food Security Act, 2013/ PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana."

Overlap with New Committee

An email from Geeta Singh Rathore, Director General of the Ministry's National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), explained the reason behind dismantling the committee. The email stated that the committee's work overlapped with that of a newly formed Steering Committee for National Sample Surveys. This information was shared by Ramesh on X.

The Congress's allegations highlight significant concerns regarding the delay in conducting the census and its impact on citizens' access to essential benefits. The dissolution of the SCoS raises questions about transparency and accountability within government operations.

The government's response to these allegations remains crucial as it addresses public concerns about data collection and resource distribution. The situation underscores the importance of timely and accurate census data for effective governance and policy-making.