CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is likely to collect the data for the National Population Register (NPR) next year after the Centre gives its approval.
The NPR exercise was indefinitely deferred due to the lockdown from March amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Official sources told The New Indian Express that the Centre is likely to announce the decision after January following which the exercise will be carried out.
Initially, it was planned to be conducted in the month of June or July after getting the state government's nod. This time, the data of households and updation of the NPR was to be carried out through a mobile app.
The Union Cabinet has approved over Rs 3,941.35 crore for updating the NPR across the country, barring Assam, and Rs 8,754.23 crore for conducting the Census of India, 2021.
A test Census in areas selected from two districts in the state and a municipality was already undertaken. These include Coonoor taluk of the Nilgiris district, Ilayangudi taluk of Sivaganga district and Maraimalainagar municipality of Chengalpattu taluk in Kancheepuram district.