PENDING WORK OF NATIONAL CITIZENS’ REGISTER
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Registrar General of India (RGI) approved funds for National Register of Citizens (NRC) work in Assam till December 31, 2019. Though the final NRC was published on August 31, 2019, still lots of work are pending with regard to the NRC. Hence, the Assam NRC authority will again move the RGI for approval of additional funds for completion of the remaining work of the citizens’ register. The office of the NRC Coordinator, Assam, is presently making an assessment of the expenditures likely to be incurred.
It has also been learnt that there are plans to cut down on the workforce related to the citizens register. This move is being considered as the main work relating to the NRC has already been carried out.
Talking to The Sentinel, State Coordinator NRC, Hitesh Dev Sarma said, “Additional funds will be required primarily for the secure maintenance of the NRC-related data and documents besides several other expenses related to the work. We will take up this issue with the RGI.”
The State NRC office is also carrying out its study as to the number of employees that would be necessary for completion of the remaining work. In the process, excess contractual staffers will be released.
In the mid part of 2019, the RGI increased the revised budget estimate for the NRC-update process to Rs 1,602.66 crore till December 31, 2019. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Government of India, also approved the revised cost estimate. At the same time, the Registrar General of India order stated that with time, surplus staffs shall be taken off — wherever possible — to save cost.
The cost estimate of the NRC work when it was first taken up in 2015 was approximately Rs 250 crore. The final NRC was published on August 31, 2019.
Altogether 3,30,27,661 people (through 68,37,660 applications) had applied for inclusion of their names in the final NRC. Of them, 3,11,21,004 were found eligible for inclusion while 19,06,657 applicants have been declared ineligible for inclusion in the final NRC.