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Sonia Gandhi demands census to bring 14 crore Indians under food security net

Sonia Gandhi highlighted that the delay in updating Census data has left 14 crore eligible Indians without NFSA benefits. She criticised the government for not prioritising the Census, depriving citizens of their food security entitlements

South First Desk

Published Feb 10, 2025 | 7:02 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 10, 2025 | 7:02 PM

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. (Supplied)

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. (Supplied)

Synopsis: Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi raised concerns in the Rajya Sabha on 10 February, highlighting the impact of the delayed Census on food security. She pointed out that 14 crore people are being denied benefits under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) due to outdated 2011 Census data. She urged the government to prioritise the completion of the Census for equitable distribution of food security

In a call for urgent action, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi raised concerns in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, 10 February, about the delay in the decadal Census and its impact on food security for millions of Indians. 

She pointed out that approximately 14 crore people are being deprived of their rightful benefits under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) due to the delay in conducting the Census, which was originally scheduled for 2021 but has been postponed for over four years.

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The NFSA and its importance

Sonia Gandhi emphasised that the NFSA, introduced by the UPA government, is a landmark initiative aimed at ensuring food and nutritional security for India’s 140 crore population. 

The act was particularly instrumental in protecting millions from hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic and laid the foundation for schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

Under the NFSA, 75 percent of the rural population and 50 percent of the urban population are entitled to receive subsidised food grains. 

However, the quota for beneficiaries is still determined based on the 2011 Census data, which is now more than a decade old. 

With the Census having been delayed for over four years, Sonia Gandhi stressed that there was no clarity on when it would be conducted, and the budget allocations suggest that it is unlikely to happen this year either.

Impact on 14 crore Indians

Sonia Gandhi pointed out that the delay in updating the Census data has left 14 crore eligible Indians without access to their rightful benefits under the NFSA. 

The government’s failure to prioritise the completion of the Census is depriving these citizens of their food security entitlements, she said.

“Food security is not a privilege but a fundamental right,” she stated, urging the government to take immediate action to complete the Census and ensure that the benefits reach those who need them most.

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Public reactions and support

Social media users voiced their support for Sonia Gandhi’s call for an updated Census. 

User @jalilkhanmsc commented on X, “Many eligible citizens of our area, such as those from Bajali and Barpeta in Assam, are deprived of their rightful benefits under the NFSA due to having a small family. The BJP-led NDA government should consider food security as a fundamental right, as the Congress-led UPA did.”

Ravi Boseraju expressed support by emphasising the importance of the NFSA in safeguarding millions from hunger, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis, and criticised the government for the Census delay. He stated, “14 crore deserving Indians remain excluded from its benefits—solely because the 2021 Census has been inexplicably delayed.”

@slmehra echoed similar sentiments, underscoring the importance of food security as a fundamental right and calling for immediate action on the Census delay.

@EhsanKhanIYC said, “Sonia Gandhi ji rightly pointed out the urgent need to update the Census to ensure that nearly 14 crore eligible Indians receive their rightful benefits under the Food Security Act. The delay in Census completion has led to outdated population data, depriving millions of food security entitlements. The government must prioritize the Census to uphold its duty of ensuring no citizen goes hungry. Food security is a fundamental right, and administrative inefficiencies should not stand in the way of feeding the nation’s poor.”

(Edited by Ananya Rao)

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