A high-level committee on demographic changes informed Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday that it will undertake visits to various states to collect first-hand, ground-level inputs. The panel also plans to engage with central government ministries to obtain feedback on issues related to demographic shifts.
Committee's Strategy and Questionnaire
Committee members told Shah that a detailed questionnaire has been prepared and will be shared with states in advance of the visits. This approach, they said, aims to make interactions more meaningful and productive. Official sources indicated that Shah appreciated the committee's strategy and directed Home Secretary Govind Mohan to extend all possible assistance to the panel members.
Urgency for Recommendations
The Home Minister suggested that the committee submit its recommendations at the earliest. The high-level demographic mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address last year. Subsequently, the Centre constituted a committee to study demographic changes arising from illegal immigration and other abnormal factors, and to recommend measures to address them.
Composition of the Committee
Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar (retd) serves as the chairman of the committee. Other members include Census Commissioner Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, former IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, former IPS officer Balaji Srivastava, and Shamika Ravi, a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council. The committee is tasked with scientifically assessing demographic changes occurring in various parts of the country due to illegal immigration and other abnormal factors, analyzing their causes, and recommending appropriate policy, legislative, and administrative measures.
