No plan to release 2011 caste census data: Government

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The government has no plans to release at this stage the caste data collected under the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011, Lok Sabha was informed on July 26.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai also said that the central government has not enumerated caste-wise population other than SCs and STs in census since Independence.

He said the SECC 2011, excluding the caste data, has been finalised and published by the Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the SECC reports are available on the portal "http:ecc.gov.in/". As informed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, there is no proposal to release the caste data at this stage, he said replying to a written question.

Rai said the castes and tribes which are specifically notified as Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) as per the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, as amended from time to time, are enumerated in the census. Replying to another question on delay of Census 2021 and its possible adverse impact on implementation of welfare schemes, the minister said the population projection of the country and states and Union Territories for 2011-2036, based on Census 2011 data, are available in the Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections published by National Commission on Population, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

He said the intent of the government for conducting Census 2021 was notified in the Gazette of India on March 28, 2019. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the Census 2021 and the related field activities have been postponed until further orders, he said.