Assertion (A): Census data is crucial for planning social welfare policies.

Reason (R): Census operations are conducted every five years in India.

Correct Option: A is true but R is false

Step-by-Step Explanation:

1. Analyzing the Assertion (A):
Assertion (A) states: "Census data is crucial for planning social welfare policies."
This statement is true. A census provides comprehensive demographic, economic, and social data about a population (such as age, gender, literacy, employment, and living conditions). Governments rely heavily on this accurate data to design, target, and implement effective social welfare schemes, allocate budget resources, and plan infrastructure projects.

2. Analyzing the Reason (R):
Reason (R) states: "Census operations are conducted every five years in India."
This statement is false. In India, official population census operations are conducted once every 10 years (decennial census), not every five years. The first synchronous census in India was conducted in 1881, and it has been carried out every ten years since then.

Conclusion:
Since Assertion (A) is correct and Reason (R) is incorrect, the correct option is "A is true but R is false".