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BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Census: India set to count its population after a six-year delay
After a six-year delay, India is finally set to count its population in a two-phase census that will conclude in 2027, the government has decennial census is one of the world's largest administrative exercises and provides critical data for planning welfare schemes, allocating federal funds, drawing electoral boundaries and making key policy decisions. It was originally due in 2021, but has been delayed several times since. The last census was conducted in Minister Narendra Modi's government had initially cited the Covid-19 pandemic as the main reason but critics have questioned what has taken so long to resume the exercise. On Wednesday, India's home ministry said in a statement that the much-awaited census will be conducted in two phases, with 1 March 2027 as the reference date. For the snow-bound Himalayan regions, which includes the states of Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, and the region of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, the reference date will be 1 October did not, however, specify when the survey would actually begin. For the first time, the government will also collect the caste details - a politically and socially sensitive issue in India - of all its citizens, the statement added. The last time caste was officially counted as part of a national census was in 1931, during British colonial rule. India's census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948, which provides a legal framework for conducting the exercise, but does not specify a fixed schedule for when the census must be conducted or when its results must be 2020, India was set to begin the first phase of the census - in which housing data is collected - when the pandemic hit, following which the government postponed the exercise. In the years since, the government further delayed the exercise several times without any explanation, even as life returned to normal. Experts have spoken of the consequences this could have on the world's most populous country - such as people being excluded from welfare schemes, and the incorrect allocation of resources."The census is not simply a count of the number of people in a country. It provides invaluable data needed to make decisions at a micro level," Professor KP Kannan, a development economist, had told the BBC in 2023. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
Times of Oman
4 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Population Census 2027 to be held in two phases along with enumeration of castes
New Delhi: The central government on Wednesday announced that the Population Census-2027 will be conducted in two phases and will also include the enumeration of castes. Opposition parties accused the government of further delaying the nationwide enumeration exercise. The Ministry of Home Affairs made the announcement in a statement, mentioning that the census will follow different reference dates depending on the region, in accordance with logistical and climatic factors. "It has been decided to conduct Population Census-2027 in two phases along with the enumeration of castes," the statement said. Reacting to the announcement, Congress said that the government was further delaying the already late census. DMK alleged that the census would be held after the proposed delimitation and that there was a plan to reduce Tamil Nadu's Parliamentary representation. According to the MHA statement, the reference date for the "Population Census-2027 will be 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027, for most parts of the country." However, for the Union Territory of "Ladakh, and the non-synchronous snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be 00:00 hours on October 1, 2026.' The government has also indicated that a notification of intent to conduct the census, adhering to the above-mentioned timelines, will be published in the Official Gazette on June 16, 2025. This will be done under Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948, which governs the legal framework for the decennial census exercise in census, due in 2021, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Census 2027 is slated to be one of the most comprehensive data-gathering exercises undertaken by the Indian government. Census of India is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, last Census of India was conducted in 2011 in two phases, namely i) Phase I - House Listing (HLO) (1 April to 30 September 2010) and (ii) Phase II - Population Enumeration (PE) (February 9 to February 28, 2011) with reference date - 00:00 hours of the first day of March 2011, except for snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh for which it was conducted during September 11 to 30, 2010 with reference date as 00.00 hours of the first day of October 2010. Census 2021 was also proposed to be conducted in two phases in a similar manner with phase I during April-September 2020 and second phase in February 2021. All the preparations for the first phase of the Census to be conducted in 2021 were completed and field work was scheduled to begin in some States/UTs from April 1, 2020. However, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic across the country, the census work was postponed. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X that there is really no reason to delay the Census, which was due in 2021, for another twenty-three months. 'The Modi Government is capable only of generating headlines, not meeting deadlines,' he said. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that the Indian Constitution mandates that delimitation must follow the first Census after 2026. 'The BJP has now delayed the Census to 2027, making their plan clear to reduce Tamil Nadu's Parliamentary representation. I had warned about this. It is now unfolding,' he said in a post on X. He also hit out at AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami.
The National
30-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a balloon theatre bringing the cinema experience to rural India
When a bright yellow inflatable structure appeared in the heart of Leh, a remote Himalayan town 3,505 metres above sea level, Jigmet Angchok initially mistook it for a bouncy castle. But when he stepped inside the "balloon theatre" he found a fully-fledged cinema equipped with Dolby digital sound, plush pushback seats and stunning picture quality. The radio DJ, 32, was inside the world's highest-altitude cinema and couldn't contain his excitement. 'I was always curious about what it was like to watch a film on a big screen,' Angchok tells The National. 'This wonderful theatre had appeared in front of my eyes, just like the ones in big cities.' Cinema frenzy nation India is a nation of movie buffs, with 2,000 different Hindi or Bollywood and regional productions shown in cinemas each year. But for millions, particularly in rural parts of the country, a night at the cinema has long been a distant and expensive dream. Since 1913, when a film was shown on the big screen for the first time, cinemas have evolved from single screen theatres to multiplexes. But there are only 10,000 cinemas and 30,000 screens in a country that is home to 1.4 billion people. Most of them are in big cities or towns, according to research by the Producers Guild of India. For movie buffs like Angchok, watching a film in a brick-and-mortar cineplex was, for a long time, a far-fetched dream. There was not a single cinema hall in Ladakh, an arid region in northern India which generally remains covered in five metres of snow for four months during winter, until Picture Time arrived in 2021 to install an inflatable cinema. Its mobile movie theatres are designed to give an unparalleled experience to enthusiasts like Angchok. 'There used to be a cinema hall in town during my childhood, but it closed in the late 2000s,' Angchok says. 'So I grew up watching films on CD players or screened at a community hall. I always longed to watch a film at a cinema on a big screen.' About 1,500km from Leh, the capital of Ladakh, Tarun Soni had a similar experience. The cinephile had to travel 150km from his small town of Nagaur to a nearby city like Jodhpur in the desert region of Rajasthan, a journey of three hours each way, to watch a film on a big screen. All that changed for Soni when the inflatable cinema arrived. 'Initially we were apprehensive,' says the school principal, 30. 'This is a windy place and we were worried that the structure would be blown away. But once inside, we din't feel any difference. One time we were watching a film and it was raining heavily, but we did not feel a thing. The picture and sound quality is excellent. 'It is a small town and we had never had a theatrical experience before. Since this concept was introduce, people have been excited about films, especially families, because they now have a place to go for an outing.' Cinema in small towns Picture Time is the brainchild of Delhi -based entrepreneur Sushil Chaudhary, who strongly believes watching films in a cinema is 'not just entertainment but a fundamental part of life'. Chaudhary, 50, came up with the idea of bringing the big screen experience to small towns. 'Multiplex cinemas are in malls, but there is a shortage around the country,' he explains. 'I wanted something that would be more accessible and thought a portable cinema could solve the problem.' After years of research, Picture Time opened an experimental inflatable cinema in Chhattisgarh in 2019. It was a huge success, encouraging Chaudhary to replicate his idea across India. He has since set up more than 27 cinemas, from Ladakh to Bommidi in Tamil Nadu in southern India. His inflatable theatres have 120 to 180 seats and can be set up to stand on any ground for 15 years. That idea came to him when he was at a birthday party which had a bouncy castle. 'We were designing at the time,' Chaudhary recalls. 'My aim was to create an air-conditioned cinema that was easy to erect and portable.' His inflatable cinema has proper acoustics and is fire-resistant. Balanced air circulation ensures it can withstand high temperatures. Streaming challenge Streaming is all the rage these days, but a 2023 study by online platform BookMyShow found that 98 per cent of Indians still believe in the magic of cinema. India has 547.3 million users on streaming platforms but only 100 million paid subscribers, according to research by media consulting firm Ormax Media. Cinema's popularity endures. 'When we release a big film, 300 to 400 people turn up every day,' says Stenzin Tankyong, an entrepreneur who owns a Picture Time franchise in Ladakh. The big screen and audio experience are only part of the attraction. Angchok points out that cinemas give audiences a chance to enjoy a film with friends over a large tub of popcorn. 'Cinemas have charm,' he says. 'They are the complete package. People enjoy watching films on big screens with popcorn and this experience is not available at home.'
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- The Guardian
A downward spiral and a hunting harrier – readers' best photographs
'An aerial view of a half-frozen Pangong Tso, an endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh and west Tibet.' Photograph: Matt Hunt 'A cormorant basking in the morning sun.' Photograph: Allan Charter 'Two fishers at sunrise. The annual salmon run was in full swing near the Simms Creek and beach fishing by human fishers was as well. I was so focused on the fisher that only after seeing the photo did I notice the heron.' Photograph: Graham Wallace 'I thought the early roses against the bright blue sky made for a stunning burst of colour.' Photograph: Helena Gardiner 'A northern harrier glides low over grassland hunting for food at Duck Marsh Preserve in Pomfret.' Photograph: Nancy L Barrett 'Filling time waiting for our taxi to the airport from the very photogenic Hotel Magnolia.' Photograph: John Main 'Back at the beginning of the month, the tidal range was quite high and here at the marine pool the built-up causeway creates a bridge that is used as a shortcut. But in another hour, the incoming tide will start to flow over this manmade dam and into the pool, and will eventually start to cover the safety railings.' Photograph: Peter Norton 'Nesting kittiwakes at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. I came to see the art and then discovered a viewing platform looking on to the birds nesting on the ledges.' Photograph: Karen Rollison Photograph: Greg Curran 'The 'cheese grater' car park, beautifully reflected by a nearby building.' Photograph: Alex Flynn 'Crystal Palace fans marching through Leicester Square on Saturday 26 April, just hours before beating Aston Villa 3-0 in the FA Cup semi-final.' Photograph: Sebastian Kettley 'Taken on the Staten Island ferry on a grey day.' Photograph: Alexandra Ashby 'This lovely young deer is a regular visitor to my garden. He's usually alone, possibly an orphan, but hopefully resourceful enough to survive.' Photograph: Tamara Lucatz 'My eye was caught by the orange of the bee, vivid against the bluebell.' Photograph: Sue Norton 'A fabulous tree at Woburn Abbey pictured through an arch.' Photograph: Antony O'Brien
India Gazette
20-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Punjab seal Swami Vivekananda Men's U20 NFC quarter-finals spot
Narainpur (Chhattisgarh)[India], May 20 (ANI): Punjab qualified for the quarter-finals of the Swami Vivekananda Men's U20 NFC after defeating Ladakh 8-1 in their Group C match at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground on Monday, May 19, 2025. Manipur defeated Sikkim 6-1 in the other match of the day, according to the official website of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Needing three points to secure the top spot and a place in the quarter-finals, Punjab went on to complete a demolition job over Ladakh, after the latter had the lead, albeit for a brief period, early on in the game. Punjab led 3-1 at half-time. Imran Ali's eighth-minute goal for Ladakh was cancelled out just about 60 seconds later by Punjab's Gaurav Singh, who smashed in a rebound. Harmandeep Singh, in the 25th minute, poked a bouncing ball over the Ladakh goalkeeper's head to help Punjab put one foot in the knockout rounds. Gurmeet Singh doubled the lead in the 43rd minute, when he skipped past the keeper and slid it into the goal. Punjab were well and truly in the driver's seat, and they continued their dominance in the second half. Arun Kumar Chandla struck two in close proximity in the 68th and 69th minutes, before Damandeep Kumar netted the sixth in the 79th. Chandla completed his hat-trick in the 85th, and Arshvir Singh added the final nail in the coffin in injury time (90+2'). Punjab thus finished top of Group C with nine points. While Manipur also has the same number of points as them, the latter suffered a 0-1 defeat at the hands of the northern state, which remains ahead by virtue of a superior head-to-head record. Manipur completed a 6-1 drubbing of Sikkim in the second match of the day, though their fate was already decided before kick-off. They led 2-0 at half-time. Konthoujam Lemba Singh (8', 10', 74') and Md Abash (72' p, 85', 90+4') scored a hat-trick each for Manipur, while Ragpay Lepcha (48' p), who converted a penalty at the start of the second half, was the only scorer for Sikkim. (ANI)
