LIVE TV
Odisha
Recommended Stories
Bhubaneswar: Even before Modi cabinet gave its nod to National Population Register (NPR) scheduled to start from April 2020 across the country, three states, namely, West Bengal, Kerala and Rajasthan, have decided to stall the NPR process in their respective states.
The troika of states have put the NPR process on hold citing 'law and order problem' and 'apprehension' in minds of people over NRC (National Register Of Citizens).
Will Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has very recently stated his clear disapproval of NRC, follow suit? Will Naveen succumbing to competitive politics put his foot down over NPR process in Odisha?
A U-turn for CM Patnaik will not be easy this time. Because in 2014, Naveen had written a letter to PM Modi, where he stated “My government has signed an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the Registrar General of India (RGI) for sharing NPR database in March 2013. But till date, we have received NPR data of only one out of thirty districts”.
The CM further writes why Odisha direly needs the NPR data. The letter further had stated “RGI has been requested on several occasions to share the digitised NPR database of remaining 29 districts of Odisha. The matter has also been taken up with Union Home secretary and Union Home minister. I would request you to intervene in the matter immediately for enabling Odisha to implement the National Food Security Act, 2013 at an early date”.
The 2014 Naveen's missive to PM Modi had unambiguously sheds light on utility of NPR in Odisha. Since 5T is his pet scheme, CM Naveen cannot make an about turn now.
As the missive of CM Naveen very clearly hints at NPR conducted across the country much earlier, data available with Registrar General of India (RGI) shows NPR was conducted in 2010, when UPA was at the helm in Centre, Mamata Banerjee was CM of West Bengal and Gehlot-led Congress was at helm in Rajasthan.
The latest RGI statement says the procedure of NPR 2020 is no different from NPR 2010 and 2015.
Now, take a reality check of NPR. First, what is NPR? As per Census India, It is a register of 'usual residents' of the country. 'Usual Residents' meaning: A person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more.
The Census office further explains that NPR will be prepared locally under provisions of Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. And it is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR.
Besides collecting name of a 'usual resident', NPR will seek details like birth date, gender, marital status, relationship with household head, name of Father/Mother and spouses (if married), Place of birth, Present address of usual residence, Duration of stay at present address, Permanent residential address, Occupation/Activity & Educational qualification.
Regarding data on Nationality, it will be as declared by the usual resident.
Why NPR is essential and what link it has with National Register of Citizens (NRC)?
NPR collects data about actual usual residents and intention of usual residents, which means suppose a resident from North India is living in Odisha, the NPR seeks to know the reason behind stay in Odisha.
Why politicking over NPR now? As NPR seeks details of birth place, permanent address etc, an 'illegal infiltrator' will stumble here and the authorities in a column put a 'doubtful' remark against the name.
That's where politics of vote bank comes into picture.
