How much does it cost to count a single person in the country? The government has approved the budget for the census

The census will begin in the country next year. The government has approved the budget for this. According to one estimate, the country's current population is around 147 crore rupees. 

The government's budget for the census is over 11,700 crore rupees. The biggest question is: how much will the government spend to count a single person? When the census begins next year, the country's population will have increased even more. 

However, we have tried to calculate it based on the current population. Let us tell you how much the government can spend to count a single person.

What is the current population of the country?

Generally, when it comes to the country's population, everyone seems to mention only one figure: 1.4 billion. But that's not true. The country's population changes every second. 

According to Worldometer data, the country's current population is around 1.47 billion. This figure may soon be surpassed. However, we are using this figure as a base for our report. 

There's a reason for this. By the time the national population census begins, the country's population will have increased even further. Furthermore, the cost of this census will likely increase further.

The government passed the budget

The government has approved the census budget through a cabinet meeting. According to the cabinet decision, ₹11,718.24 crore has been allocated for the national census. 

Addressing the media, Vaishnav said that the Cabinet has approved an amount of ₹11,718.24 crore for the 2027 Census of India, calling it the world's largest administrative and statistical exercise. 

The 2027 Census will be the country's 16th census and the eighth since independence. According to the government's plan, the decennial census will be conducted in two phases. 

The first phase, the houselisting and housing census, will be conducted between April and September 2026. The second phase, the population count, is scheduled for February 2027. 

However, due to adverse weather conditions in snow-covered and uncultivated areas, including Ladakh, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the census will be conducted earlier in September 2026.

This is how the census will be conducted

Highlighting the sheer scale and technological shift of this process, Vaishnav said that Census 2027 will be India's first digital census. 

Data will be collected using mobile applications compatible with both Android and iOS platforms, while a Central Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal has been developed to manage and monitor the entire process in real time. 

The Houselisting Block (HLB) Creator web map application will also be used by the officers-in-charge for better planning and supervision.

30 lakh employees will be on the field

To complete this massive census task, approximately 3 million field workers will be deployed, including census workers, supervisors, master trainers, charge officers, and district census officers. 

Census workers, most of whom are government teachers appointed by state governments, will perform census-related work in addition to their regular responsibilities and will be paid a reasonable honorarium. 

Additional census workers will be appointed at the sub-district, district, and state levels for monitoring and coordination. As per the decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs on April 30, 2025, the 2027 Census will include a caste census. Caste-related data will be collected electronically during the census phase.

How much will it cost per person?

Now the biggest question is that the government has presented a budget for the census, which amounts to ₹11,718.24 crore. Currently, the country's population is approximately 1.47 billion. 

If this population is considered the base, the government can spend approximately ₹80 per person for the census. However, this figure is subject to change during the census. Therefore, we are providing an approximate figure.

Census
Budget 2025