India’s long postponement of a national census creates ‘extraordinary situation’

One expert says it’s like “driving in the dark without headlights.” With no basic information about its massive population, India allocates resources for managing issues like food insecurity and aging demographics without up-to-date statistics about communities needing those resources. The census was initially postponed at the height of the pandemic, but efforts did not resume alongside other activities, and India shows no sign of initiating its next census anytime soon. Sushmita Pathak reports from Delhi on the problems that’s creating.

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