No document will be collected during NPR exercise: Government

New Delhi : The government on Tuesday made it clear that no document will be collected during the updation of the National Population Register (NPR) and providing Aadhaar number during the exercise is only voluntary.

The government is in discussion with the states having concerns with regard to the preparation of the NPR. The demographic and other particulars of each family and individual are to be updated/ collected during the exercise of updation of NPR.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said an instruction manual for updation of NPR 2020 for enumerators and supervisors has been prepared and the people will have to provide information for the NPR to the best of their knowledge and belief.

"No document is to be collected during the updation of NPR," he said replying a written question.

The minister also made it clear that during the NPR updation exercise, no verification will be done to find individuals whose citizenship is doubtful.

The NPR exercise will be carried out across the country along with the house listing phase of the Census 2021 from April 1 to September 30, 2020.

"The NPR updation will be undertaken through house to house enumeration for collection of specified particulars relating to each family and individual.

The respondent has to provide the information true to the best of his knowledge and belief. Aadhar Number is collected voluntarily," he said.

Rai said population register is a register containing details of persons usually residing in a village or rural area or town or ward or demarcated area within a ward in a town or urban area.

"The NPR was first prepared in 2010 and updated in 2015. In pursuance of Sub-rule (4) of Rule 3 of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, framed under the Citizenship Act,1955, central government decided to prepare and update the population register during April to September, 2020 throughout the country except Assam for collection of information relating to all persons usually residing in village or town," he said.