The government on Tuesday announced that it was going ahead with its decision to implement the National Population Register (NPR) across the country in 2020. Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said that the government will implement the NPR in each state but Assam through a parliamentary act starting April next year. Besides, the union minister, accompanied by his cabinet colleague Piyush Goyal, made several other key policy announcements during his press briefing.
Here are 10 major highlights from the presser:
On the National Population Register:
1. No evidence will be asked at the time of registering names for NPR.
2. No biometrics will be required for NPR.
3. All the information furnished at the time of NPR will be taken as true.
4. The details for NPR will be collected through an app.
5. The details collected at the time of NPR will be released along with Census 2021.
6. The Union Cabinet has approved Rs 8,754.23 crore for the Census of India in 2021 and Rs. 3,941.35 crore for updation of National Population Register (NPR).
Further, it was announced:
7. The Railway Board will be completely restructured and be downsized from eight members to five. Union Minister Piyush Goyal assured that a restructured railway board will end departmentalism and no seniority will be compromised.
8. The government has approved the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). The CDS will be a four-star officer.
9. The Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to further amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Javadekar said the Cabinet has cleared an ordinance to amend the Code.
10. The government has also sanctioned funds to the tune of Rs 627.40 crore for 10 projects in 2018-19 Swadesh Darshan Scheme.
