Nationwide effort: Census preparations complete, says chief commissioner

Officials to be imparted training from January 11 onwards

BAHAWALPUR:

The nationwide census, slated to commence in March, will be conducted till the middle of April, Census Chief Commissioner Asif Bajwa said on Tuesday.

He made the comments at a meeting organised at the commissioner’s office to review census arrangements across the district. Bajwa said the nationwide effort made it incumbent on all departments to effectively discharge their duties in tandem to ensure authentic data collection.  He said over 100,000 people would participate in the effort. Bajwa said they would be imparted master training from January 11 onwards in Islamabad.



The chief commissioner said blocks between 200 to 250 houses had been earmarked in this regard in rural areas. He said blocks had been formulated in rural areas on the village level. Bajwa said the total number of blocks devised on this front stood at 84,000. He said the formulation of maps of these was nearing completion.

Bajwa said those tasked with conducting the census would be paid daily while officials deputed in this regard would be given an additional month’s salary as an incentive. He said teams constituted to conduct the census would go door-to-door to collect data. Bajwa said foolproof arrangements would be made to ensure their safety.



The chief commissioner said census committees had been constituted at the division, district and tehsil levels to supervise the effort’s conduct. He said over 10,000 officials would take part in the effort across the Bahawalpur division. Bajwa said all arrangements had been completed in this regard in accordance with governmental directions. He said the holding of the census would have no effect on educational institutions that would remain open while it was held. He said examinations would also be held according to schedule.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2016.