Indian states question availability of data sought by demographic panel
A Home Ministry committee examining demographic changes has asked Indian states for 15 years of extensive district- and religion-wise data. State officials told The Hindu that much of the information, including data on vehicles, property and school enrolment, is not maintained in that form.
A committee established by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has asked state governments to provide extensive information on demographic changes, including data divided by district and religion. State officials have questioned whether much of the requested information exists in the required form. The High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes sent states a 35-point questionnaire covering the past 15 years.
It seeks religion-wise details on birth registrations, school enrolment, ration cards, vehicle registrations, property transactions and voter registrations. The questionnaire also asks states to identify unusual increases in Aadhaar enrolments, voter identification cards and ration cards, as well as cases involving forged identity documents. Officials told The Hindu that government databases do not ordinarily classify citizens by religion across many of these categories.
The committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar, was constituted by the Home Ministry on May 26. Its remit is to study demographic changes arising from illegal immigration and other “abnormal” reasons and recommend measures to address them. The panel has been given one year to submit its report, with a possible six-month extension.
Its questionnaire covers demographic trends, migration, administrative challenges, institutional mechanisms and measures adopted by states and Union Territories. It also seeks information on religious structures established during the past 15 years, including temples, mosques and churches, and asks whether geographic information systems have been used to map them. Further requests concern tribal areas, religious conversion, land transfers and educational institutions, including madrasas.
On illegal immigration, the committee has asked for information about detention centres, identification, detention, deportation and repatriation of undocumented migrants. It also wants details of alleged forged documents and links to organised crime, human trafficking or narcotics offences, as well as proposals for further legislation or policy measures.
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