PARL PANEL BATS FOR INTERCENSAL SURVEYS, GENDER-INCLUSIVE CENSUS TOWN NORMS

A parliamentary panel has called for “intercensal surveys” -- surveys between two successive censuses -- in India considering that cities and urban settlements undergo major changes in 10 years, and has also recommended review of the criteria for notifying “census towns” to make it more gender inclusive.

At present, to qualify an urban area to be a census town, 75% male main working population must engage in non-agricultural activities. As per Census Commissioner of India, the proportion of female workers engaged in non-agricultural activities is not used as a criteria for classifying ‘census towns’ because female workforce participation fluctuates significantly due to social factors, under-reporting, and the informal nature of the work.

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