Everybody counts: Fresh population census scheduled for March 2016

2016 census to be conducted after an eighteen-year delay

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government on Wednesday approved a plan to conduct the Population Census in March 2016, an exercise likely to have profound implications both for the distribution of federal resources as well as allocation of legislative power in the National Assembly.

The 2016 census is going to be conducted after an eight-year delay. The last census was held in 1998, also under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s administration. The next census will also be conducted with the assistance of the armed forces. The Governing Council of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, approved the plan to conduct the housing and population census in March of next year, according to an official handout.

The preliminary results of population census will be available in June 2016. Dar directed that all other activities including preparation of district-wise data and relevant reports be completed by December 2017.



The census has profound impact on a variety of actions the government takes. The outcomes of the population census will determine the representation of the provinces in the National Assembly where seats are allocated on the basis of population.

The census also serves as a guiding document for determining the shares of the provinces in federal tax revenue, although the under discussion 8th National Finance Award will be decided on the basis of 1998 census. Provinces get 82% of the divisible pool on the basis of their population. The remainder is decided based on other factors.

Last month, the Council of Common Interests had granted approval to conduct the population census with the assistance of the military. The proposed census budget has been estimated at Rs14.5 billion, which will be shared by the provinces. The Governing Council approved the calendar for initiating a number of preparatory actions and the time schedule of each activity with its target dates.

The meeting was briefed about the methodology to be used in Census 2016, along with major questions to be asked in the census. The chair directed that a comparative analysis of methodology used in the 1998 census and proposed for Census 2016 may be made and should be presented in the next meeting of the Governing Council to avoid any loopholes in the process.

Unlike the previous attempt that was made in 2011 under the Zardari Administration, the government has decided to simultaneously conduct the housing and population census. This would help save time, resources and above all mitigate chances of any controversy.

During the PPP tenure, the PBS had conducted the household census first. Many issues had cropped up during the house listing when what many alleged was an abnormal increase in the population that became apparent in the urban areas of Sindh and Balochistan. The census became politically controversial for the-then government, forcing it to abandon the exercise.

The Governing Council also approved the creation of a National Census Apex Committee. It was also decided that a technical Committees on various subjects will be formed separately by including experts of relevant fields and members of the Governing Council. The PBS will propose the composition of those committees in the next meeting for approval. The chair also desired that consultative meetings may be held with the experts within the country and at international level to ensure a successful census.

The Finance Secretary assured the council that adequate funds would be made available for the timely completion of the population census. The Governing Council also heard a briefing on the conduct of Agriculture, Livestock and Machinery Census and on the Re-basing of National Accounts. It asked the PBS to ensure that these actions should not hinder Census 2016.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2015.