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National Population Register

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)

 NATIONAL POPULATION REGISTER (NPR)

Why in the News?

In its 2021-22 annual report the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has outlined updating the National Population Register (NPR). 

 

Key Points:

About

National Population Register

  • NPR is a database containing a list of all usual residents of the country. 
  • NPR is a mechanism outlined in a set of rules framed under the Citizenship Act, of 1955.
  • Its objective is to have a comprehensive identity database of people residing in the country. 
  • It is generated through house-to-house enumeration during the “house-listing” phase of the census.
  • A usual resident for the purposes of NPR is a person who has resided in a place for six months or more.

 

Difference between NPR and the NRC:

  • Unlike the National Register of Citizens, the NPR is not a citizenship enumeration drive, as it would record even a foreigner staying in a locality for more than six months.

 

Concern:

  • No clarity on the mechanism for the protection of the vast amount of data that will be collected through NPR.

 

Advantages:

  • Streamlining of residents’ data across various platforms.
  • Helpful to the government in policy-making of social security schemes.