India's projected population, as on July 1, is 139 crore: Govt to Lok Sabha

New Delhi: The projected population of India, as on July 1, 2023, is 139 crore according to a report of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said as per the 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 and Family Welfare, is 139,23,29,000," he said replying to a written question.

Rai said the intent of the central government for conducting census 2021 was notified in Gazette of India on March 28, 2019, but due to COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the census 2021 and the related field activities have been postponed.