2nd phase of census from Feb 9

Gangtok, Feb. 7:

The second phase of census will start from February 9 and will be conducted till 28th of February. A revisional round will also be held from March 1 to March 5. The population census is a process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing and publishing or otherwise disseminating demographic, economic and social data pertaining, at a specified time to all people in a country or in well delimited part of the country.

Joint Director, Census ,Sikkim and Assam DK Dey said at the Indian Council Agriculture Research (ICAR) conference hall organised by Directorate of Census Operation, Sikkim, Ministry of Home Affairs that from 7th April till 22nd May last year the first phase was conducted. In the first phase house listing and housing census along with national population was conducted. In the second phase of census the population enumeration will be carried out for which a total one hundred and twenty seven persons in the state will be engaged. The team consists of six principal census officer (PCO), four district census officer (DCO), nine sub divisional charge officer (DCO), thirty seven charge officer (CO), thirty three master trainer (MT) along with two hundred thirty supervisors.

The response during the first census from the state public was positive. During the second phase of census a total of twenty nine questions will be asked which the public needs to respond correctly in making this census a success, , said Mr. Dey.

Those who are not present in their household during the visit by Census officer will be treated as normal residents of the household. They should have been during the enumeration period provided they have not been enumerated elsewhere.

Foreigners who are expected to stay within the geographically limits of this country throughout the enumeration period 9th to 28th February are to be counted wherever they are found, if not enumerated elsewhere. Whereas those foreigners who are expected to stay in India for a part of enumeration period are not eligible for enumeration. Furthermore foreigners and their families who are having diplomatic status will not be enumerated but Indian national employed and staying with the family in a block will be enumerated during the census.

In regards to the census officers’ work schedule and duty Mr. Dey clearly mentioned that during the duty hour census officers can not obstruct anyone from performing duty along with putting offensive, improper or unauthorized question and disclose any census information. If found guilty imprisonment up to 3 years along with a fine of Rs.1000/- under section 11 of the Census Act 1948 will be imposed on the census officer concerned.

Speaking about the use of census data Mr. Dey said that the census is not merely a head count but it acts as a valuable information for planning and formulation of policies, the number of seats as well as the boundaries in parliamentary, assembly constituencies, panchayat’s units and other local bodies, effective public administration, used in 5-year plan, annual plan of central and state government and is also widely used by scholars, business man, industrialists and development workers.

Director, Bhagwan Shankar along with Deputy Director MK Darjee were present during the program.

(Courtesy: Sikkim Mail)