Focus: GS-II Governance
Why in news?
Union home minister on 12th March 2020, sought to allay fears over National Population Register (NPR) and assured the Upper House of Parliament that no one, including Muslims, will be marked as D (doubtful citizen) during the updation of National Population Register (NPR).
National Population Register (NPR)
- It is a Register of usual residents of the country.
- It is being prepared at the local (Village/sub-Town), sub-District, District, State and National level under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
- It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR.
What are the Advantages?
- Every country must have a comprehensive identity database of its residents with relevant demographic details.
- It will help the government formulate its policies better and also aid national security.
- It will ease the life of those residing in India by cutting red tape. Not only will it help target government beneficiaries in a better way, but also further cut down paperwork and red tape in a similar manner that Aadhaar has done.
- With NPR data, residents will not have to furnish various proofs of age, address and other details in official work.
- It would also eliminate duplication in voter lists, government insists.
