Between the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the scuffle over the NRC, the central government is once again trying to land the National Population Register (NPR). The renewal of NPR is likely to get a green signal in the cabinet meeting to be held next week. The West Bengal and Kerala governments have also opposed the NPR. However, it is completely different from NRC.

What is NPR?

Under the National Population Register (NPR), a nationwide house-to-house census is being prepared to prepare a database of citizens from April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020. The main goal of NPR is to create a database of comprehensive identity of common residents of the country. This data will also contain biometric information along with demographics.

How is it different from NRC?

There is a difference between NPR and NRC. Behind the NRC, where the motive for identification of illegal citizens in the country is hidden. At the same time, any resident living in the local area for six months or more is required to register with the NRP.

Outward attendance

If an outsider has been living in any part of the country for six months, then he too has to be lodged in the NPR. The purpose of preparing biometric data of the people through NPR is to reach the reach of government schemes to the real beneficiaries.

UPA government's plan

The initiative to form NPR began in 2010 under the UPA government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Then work on it started before the 2011 census. Now the census is to be held again in 2021. In this case, work is also being started on NPR.

Many states in protest

Like CAA and NRC, many states have also decided to give red flags to NPR. The government of West Bengal, Rajasthan and Kerala have said that they are against it.