Mumbai: Raising concerns over the growing number of orphaned children in the country, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MP from Mumbai North-West, Ravindra Waikar, on Wednesday urged the government to include a special column for orphans in the upcoming 2027 Census. He made this demand in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, drawing the attention of the House to the issue.
Waikar said that according to UNICEF data, India has nearly 2.5 crore orphaned children, many of whom lack any form of support. Despite being one of the largest population surveys in the world, the national census has so far failed to record the number of such children. He reminded the House that the Supreme Court had earlier expressed concern over the increasing number of orphaned children and directed states to conduct surveys to identify them.
The court had also emphasized that these children must receive all benefits guaranteed under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. “Including a special column for orphaned children in the 2027 Census, as suggested by the Supreme Court, will ensure that they are identified and provided with their rightful access to education and welfare schemes. It is both a moral and constitutional responsibility to secure their future,” Waikar said in his submission.
The proposal, tabled through the Lok Sabha Speaker, stressed that only through accurate enumeration in the Census can the government effectively plan policies to safeguard the lives and futures of orphaned children.
