The government informed the Lok Sabha today that the projected population of India on July 1 this year is less than that of China.
Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in a written reply that as per the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the total projected population of China at the beginning of this month was about 142 crore. He said by another estimate India's population is projected at 139 crore.
"As per United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division online publication, World Population Prospectus 2022, the total projected population of China as on July 1, 2023, is 142,56,71,000. The projected population of India as on July 1, 2023, as per the Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections published by the National Commission on Population, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is 139,23,29,000," he said.
Responding to a question about whether the government proposes to conduct the census and the time frame, the minister said that the intent of the Government for conducting the Census 2021 was notified in the Gazette of India on March 28, 2019.
"Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Census 2021 and the related field activities have been postponed," he said.
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) said in April this year China will soon cede its long-held status as the world's most populous country.
"By the end of this month, India's population is expected to reach 1,425,775,850 people," it said in a tweet.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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