MHA holds meeting on NPR, Census with states; West Bengal not present

New Delhi [India], Jan 17 (ANI): The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday organised a half-day conference of the state chief secretaries and UT administrators on Census 2021 and updating of National Population Register (NPR).
The conference was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.
An official of Home Ministry claimed that the West Bengal representative did not turn up.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led state government had told the central government to put the NPR process on hold and also informed that nobody from the state will attend the meeting. Sources claimed that the chief secretary of West Bengal was in Delhi on Friday.
An official release said Rai laid emphasis on the need of conducting Census 2021 and the role of the States in doing the same.
He said that the data collected in the Census helps in framing policies for the welfare of the people of the country. The Minister also inaugurated the Official 'Mascot' for Census 2021.
The key note address was delivered by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
He referred to the vastness of this exercise and involvement of the state functionaries.
Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Vivek Joshi made a brief presentation on the Strategy for Census 2021.
After Joshi's presentation before the gathering, presentations were made on the appointment of the census functionaries, National Population Register (NPR), printing and logistics facilities and use of mobile application in data collection and central monitoring portal by the respective in-charge officials from the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner. (ANI)