The National Register of Citizens (NRC) in India has recently come under scrutiny due to various irregularities observed by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). The NRC, a record of all legal citizens of India, was first created in 1951 in Assam to distinguish between those born in India and migrants from East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Since then, it has faced several challenges such as anomalies in the updating process, misuse of funds, and lack of reliable software for data management.
Anomalies in the Updating of NRC
Established in December 2014, the NRC updating process was supposed to be completed by February 2015 and cost around Rs. 288.18 crores. Unfortunately, there has been a five-fold increase in the budget by March 2022 due to delays and changes in the update software. The CAG also discovered that the wages paid to outsourced staff were 45.59%-64.27% less than what was approved by the NRC coordination committee.
Irregularities in the Utilisation of Funds
The CAG found significant irregularities in the utilization of funds allocated for updating the NRC. There has been a considerable increase in the project cost due to additional delays and modifications in the update software. Also, the wages paid to the outsourced workforce were significantly less than what was initially approved, indicating possible mismanagement of funds.
Lack of Secure and Reliable Software
In the process of updating the NRC, a highly secure and reliable software was needed to be developed. However, due to improper planning, about 215 software utilities were added haphazardly to the core software, creating further complications and jeopardizing data security.
CAG’s Recommendations
The CAG has recommended strict measures against Wipro Limited, the IT company entrusted with a prime software installation task by the NRC Directorate, for violating provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, and for underpaying data operators. Further, the report suggested action against the State Coordinator of National Registration (SCNR), citing “excess, irregular, and inadmissible payments”. It also recommended holding the SCNR accountable for not complying with the Minimum Wage Act.
NRC Exercise: A Brief Overview
The NRC exercise was initiated in 1951 to identify those born in India and migrants from what is now Bangladesh. In 2013, the Supreme Court directed the Centre and the State to update the 1951 register in Assam, and the first draft was subsequently released in 2018. The final list, published in 2019, included individuals who could prove their Indian citizenship by establishing their residence or descendency in Assam before March 25, 1971. However, about 19.06 lakh people out of 3.3 crore applicants were excluded due to insufficient documentation, leading several parties to dismiss the final list as faulty.
Current Status of the NRC
Even after three years since the publication of the final list, the process of updating the NRC is still on hold. The Registrar General of India (RGI) has not yet notified the final list. Meanwhile, the role of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in ensuring efficient usage of public funds and examining the execution of government projects remains crucial. Their reports not only highlight the anomalies in policy implementation but also act as a vital source of information for investigating agencies to press charges against those violating laws while managing public finances.
