After CAA, battle begins on NPR now

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

After CAA, battle begins on NPR now

Maharashtra keeping fingers crossed   

States can delay NPR, not defy

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan. 16

A fresh row has emerged between the Centre and a few states on implementing National Population Register (NPR) exercise to begin on April 1 this year. Though the Centre is working hard to calm down protests on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by not notifying rules, some states have toughened their stance against the NPR now.

While West Bengal and Kerala have officially written to the Centre to put the NPR on hold, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Pudduchery & Ladakh (UT s) have not notified dates for conducting it NPR in their respective territories.

Three states — Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan — devised a new strategy by asking the Central government if the NPR data could be shared with them. These states said this would to help in ‘identifying genuine beneficiaries’ for their welfare schemes. Since the Centre has not responded positively, they are sitting pretty as well. Punjab said it would take a call only after the state Assembly deliberates on it. The NPR exercise has already been initiated in Odisha with the state government clearing all the parameters laid down in the NPR act.

The Centre is not in a hurry to press the states as they had already notified NPR implementation last July. These have developed cold feet due to one reason or the other. It would be interesting to mention that the NDA government revived the NPR in 2015 after the UPA stopped it midway in 2010 due to the launching of Aadhaar. The NDA created an electronic data base of 119 crores people in 2015-16 listing usual residents who provided Aadhaar, Voter ID card, ration cards and other details if they possessed the same. There may be some controversy whether providing details is mandatory or not. But the NPR manual of 2020-21 clearly says that this exercise is mandatory and time bound and those willfully defying could be prosecuted.

However, in this case, the state governments have developed cold feet which can lead to the delay.

Ends 

Census Commission contradicts Home Minister on Biometric

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Census Commission contradicts Home Minister on Biometric 

Says Biometric particulars Required for NPR

Census Commission is under Amit Shah  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 25

Union Home Minister Amit Shah categorically asserted yesterday in a TV interview that no supportive documents will be sought from the usual residents while National Population Register (NPR) exercise. He also clarified that no biometric data will be collected during NPR exercise except the Aadhaar number, if any.

But if one goes to the website of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India (RGCCI), one can find the NPR page link updated as late as December 19, 2019. Interestingly, the RGCCI functions directly under the Union Home Minister of India.

The RGCCI page on NPR clearly says “the objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country. The database would contain Demographic as well as Biometric particulars.”

The NPR page link also says, “It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR. A usual resident is defined for the purposes of NPR as 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 RGCCI notification is very unambiguous also says that the The National Population Register (NPR) is a Register of usual residents of the country and prepared under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.

The NPR notice says that under the Demographic Particulars, following demographic details of every individual are required for every usual resident. These are as under; Name of person, Relationship to head of household, Father’s name, Mother’s name, Spouse’s name (if married), Sex, Date of Birth, Marital status, Place of birth, Nationality (as declared), Present address of usual residence, Duration of stay at present address, Permanent residential address, Occupation/Activity and Educational qualification

No doubt, the first NPR was conducted under the UPA dispensation when P Chidambaram was the Union Home Minister. But the same NPR data base was updated during 2015 by conducting door to door survey.

The RGCCI says that the digitisation of the updated information has been completed and the Gazette notification for conducting 2020 Census and NPR has already been issued.

It is, therefore, baffling as to why the website of the department conducting Census and NPR exercises contradict the Home Minister. 

See page link

http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-Common/IntroductionToNpr.html

Fly on the wall : Even Padma Awards linked with Aadhaar

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Even Padma Awards linked with Aadhaar

Prime Minister Modi's liking for Aadhaar is setting a new milestone with the each passing day. The Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha who headed the Padma awards committee directed that all nominations for 2018 must be linked to Aadhaar. It has been decided that all nominations /recommendations for Padma Awards should be sent online only on the Padma portal designed specially by Ministry of Home Affairs. Anybody contemplating to recommend a person's name for these awards, must have Aadhaar card and the person who recommends first obtain an OTP number and feeds the OTP in the system and then alone he or she can make a recommendation. Cabinet Ministers, Governors and those holding key political posts have been signaled they shouldn't make recommendations in a routine manner. The Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories have been told to route recommendations through state governments. This was a signal to Pudducherry Governor Kiran Bedi that the mandate is for an elected government.

How Rudy was shown the door

“Fly” learnt an interesting tail how Skill Development Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy's resignation went through the motions days before the major Cabinet rejig on September 3. Rudy was traveling when summoned by Shah on September 1. It is no secret that Shah calls the shot these days and scond in command; be it party or the government. Shah was sitting with General Secretary Ram Lal when Rudy was called inside the room. Without mincing words, Shah told Rudy, “The PM wants your resignation.” Rudy knew it was coming. Yet he developed the courage to ask, “When do I resign, Sir?” Shah shot back without blinking, “Right now.” Rudy's next raised eyebrows, “Shall I give it to you sir or to the PM?” Now Rudy got another shocker: No, you give it to Ram Lalji.” Rudy recovered and asked politely, “Shall I write the resignation here sir ?” Shah said, “No, you write in the ante room. Ram Lalji will collect.” Rudy handed over the letter to Ram Lal who emerged after a long time.

Nirmala at Number 26 in pecking order !

Nirmala Sitharaman may have jolted the nation all when PM Modi promoted her as Defence Minister. She became a key member of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) too in her capacity as Defence Minister. But if one examines the official website of the government listing names and portfolios of Council of Ministers, Nirmala Sitharaman's name figures at number 26. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is the only Cabinet Minister who figures below her at number 27. All Cabinet Ministers including Smriti Irani, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Maneka Gandhi are ranked upward in the serial. Efforts to elicit response didn't succeed. But sources in the BJP said that its the seniority in the party that matters most and now what you are in the government. She is the youngest member to join the BJP. Then why Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi listed below her ? The Fly didn't get a response. Some consolation !

Ex-CBI Director counting his days

Two former CBI directors – Ranjit Sinha and A P Singh – are facing tough times. While Sinha's case is being monitored by the Supreme Court directly after M L Sharma headed SIT submitted its report. But A P Singh seem to be counting his days as Enforcement Directorate (ED) has gathered enough evidence to book him in the money laundering case. His alleged accomplice meat exporter Moin Qureshi is in the ED custody and payment of Rs 1.75 crores to Qureshi to help a Bengaluru-based person in a CBI case, has sealed the fate. The BBM messages on mobile phones exchanged between Qureshi and Singh and other evidence have exposed the scam. The days seem to be numbered and it may happen sooner than expected. Singh was made to quit prematurely by the government from the UPSC and now his arrest is matter of days.

The turn of the nephews now

In a country of dynasties, the unmarried leaders can claim to be free from any such pressure. But not any more. It now transpires that BSP supremo Mayawati may launch her nephew Aakash shortly in politics. Since her brother Anand is involved in some cases with ED and IT and is a low profile person, Mayawati wants her legacy to be transferred to Aakash who has completed management studies from London. Similarly, Navin Patnaik may promote Arun Patnaik, son of his elder brother Prem Patnaik. Navin Patnaik sounded his sister Geeta Mehta. But she opted out and returned to the USA. Navin is now old and even sick as well. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is already replying heavily on her nephew Abhishek Banerjee who is a Lok Sabha MP.