India-Census 2011.

2011 Census.



Census.
Headcount of a Billion+.



The Country launches the tremendous task of counting its teeming billion plus
with the help assistance and guidance of 2.5 million volunteers set to fan out
the country to commence census work for 2011 census.

Non Governmental agencies will be involved in carrying out the country’s
gigantic census operation Census 2011. Renowned personalities of the country
have been selected as National Trainers in each state of the country, to impart training to the staff. The first phase of operation will be undertaken throughout the country and
from 24th April 2010. Actual population enumeration will be undertaken simultaneously
throughout the country in February 2011.
The exercise has many challenges, including covering a vast geographical landmass,
Left-wing rebels and separatists, widespread illiteracy, and people with a bewildering diversity of culture, languages and customs.

“The Census is a means of evaluating once in every ten years, in a dispassionate manner,
whether Government programmes are reaching their intended targets and plan
for the future.”

Adding to the complexity of counting and classifying the world’s second largest
population will be a simultaneous process of collecting Bio-metric data on every
Person to be compiled in a new National Population Register.

“It is also a challenge to see that the 2.5 million enumerators carry out the orders and instructions, without error, as given to them during the period of their training for this work.

Officials will collect fingerprints and photographs of every resident for the first time,
for compilation in the Register, a process of biggest exercise since humankind came into
existence.

Along with the census details, personal attributes will be recorded such as declared Nationality, and marital status and details of bank account holders and cell phone users.

The twin census and population register processes will stretch over eleven months,
And consume 12 million tonnes of paper and cost INR 60 Billion = US $ 1.25 billion.
India has been conducting National Census since 1872, nothing floods, and draughts even wars have been able to stop it.

The basis census will start with Officials visiting the President and Prime Minster,
during the first leg of the process of house-listing. Enumerators will then fan out over the country, to begin house-listing which records information on homes, such as construction material used or the availability of electricity and water. The physical count of the residents will be made in February, 2011.

“The trick is to get the things right the first time. There is no question of re-census.
To minimise the margin of error, the census officials will be armed with satellite maps
of India’s 608786 villages. The enumerators have been instructed to ensure that they cover women, the elderly, the disabled, nomadic communities and the migrants usually left out in the census process.

There are however still many chances of mistakes creeping in the huge exercise as
uneducated people never know their exact age but it should be by far a good census
and the new population registry will provide a valuable database.

“In a disaster, for instance, one will be able to pinpoint, how many people were living at a place, before and after the catastrophe struck. It will be a compilation of useful information enabling proper governance.”

The data collected for the National Population Register will in turn facilitate the issue of the sixteen digit Unique identity numbers to all Indian residents. It will also help as a one step proof for all Indians to establish their identity eliminating the need of multitude of proofs of identity. The first identity numbers are expected to be issued by the end of the year.