Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Monday demanded that the government conduct the overdue population census at the earliest, highlighting that outdated data has deprived around 14 crore people of benefits under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
In her maiden Zero Hour intervention in the Rajya Sabha, Gandhi asserted that beneficiaries under the NFSA are being identified based on the 2011 Census, which no longer reflects the current population figures.
"The National Food Security Act introduced by the UPA government in September 2013 was a landmark initiative to ensure food and nutritional security for
the country's 140 crore population," Gandhi stated.
She highlighted the Act's critical role in safeguarding millions of vulnerable households from hunger, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. However, she expressed concern that the beneficiary quotas remain determined by decade-old population statistics.
"The quota for beneficiaries is still determined based on the 2011 Census, which is now well over a decade old," she said.
The NFSA covers up to 75 per cent of the rural and 50 per cent of the urban population, which, according to the 2011 Census, translates to about 81.35 crore beneficiaries.
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Presently, the government provides 5 kg of free food grains per person per month under the scheme.
"For the first time in the history of independent India, the decennial census has been delayed by more than four years. It was originally scheduled for 2021, but there is still no clarity as to when the census will be conducted," she remarked.
Gandhi claimed that the Union Budget allocations indicate that the updated census is unlikely to be conducted this year, exacerbating the issue for eligible individuals.
"Around 14 crore eligible Indians are thus being deprived of their rightful benefits under the NFSA," she said.
Calling food security a fundamental right, Gandhi stressed the urgent need for government intervention.
"It is imperative that the government prioritises completion of the census as soon as possible and ensures that all deserving individuals receive the benefits guaranteed to them under the NFSA," she added.
The former Congress president urged the government to clarify its timeline for the census and address concerns regarding the equitable distribution of food grains.
Meanwhile, the distribution of free food grains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) has been extended for five years starting 1 January 2024.
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