Srinagar, May 15: The Census-2011 operation to systematically acquire and record information about the members of a population was launched in India occupied Kashmir on Saturday.

Like other parts of India, Census operations is performed in Kashmir after every 10 years to know the exactly about the demographic figures of the population.

The census is conducted in two phases: first, house listing and house numbering phase and second, the actual population enumeration phase. The census is carried out by the canvassing method. In this method, each and every household is visited and the information is collected by specially trained enumerator. They collect data related to households e.g. number of members, water & electricity supply, ownership of land, vehicles, computers and other assets and services. In the second phase, total population is counted and statistics related to individuals are collected.

“The first phase of Census-2011 commenced with the enumeration process of Governor of the region N N Vohra. A team of Census Officers called on the Governor this morning. He replied to the queries of the Census officials in regard to the details for house listing, house numbering and establishment of the National Population Register and recorded his signatures on the requisite forms filled up in his presence,” an official spokesman said here.

The first phase of Census-2011 relates to house numbering, house listing and canvassing of National Population Register. The second phase of census population data will be compiled in February 2011.

Earlier, while launching the Census operation chief minister of the region Omar Abdullah underscored the
importance of Census to build a comprehensive and dependable data base for perspective planning and holistic development.

He appealed people to provide correct information to enumerators and surveyors and help create factual data bank for all round progress and development of the State. He also called upon them to enthusiastically participate in the process and cooperate with the census workers.

Omar said the census operation would help in organizing the plan processes as per the needs and requirements of the people and provide realistic material to the planners and policy makers to formulate area specific and public orientated development strategies.

“The first phase of census operation will be completed within 45 days. Under this phase the detailed data regarding human settlements with details about the type of houses, provision of safe drinking water, disposal of sewerage etc. will be collected while the census population data will be compiled in February 2011.

However, the census operation will be conducted in August-September 2010 in the inaccessible areas covering both the details of houselisting , National population register and population data,” he said.

Chief Principal Census Officer, Farooq Ahmad Faktoo said all usual residents living in a household would be enumerated at the place of their usual residence. “All those who normally reside and are present in that household during the entire period of enumeration will be counted,” he said.

He said if non-Kashmiris are putting up in a household here since past many years and are present during the enumeration period, they are entitled to be counted. “But this doesn’t mean that we would count en masse non-local labourers, who come here for a certain period of time, and also those people who come here as tourists or on pilgrimage. Only those who live here with the usual residents for the entire period of enumeration and on the condition that they will not be counted at their native residence, will be included in the enumeration,” he said.

The official said the Indian soldiers deployed in the region, tourists and pilgrims won’t be registered.

Almost all the top separatist leaders including hardliner Syed Ali Geelani has urged people to participate in the Census operations. “People should participate in Census operations and give their exact details to the officials. They should ensure that their names are recorded correctly by the officials,” Geelani had said.

He had alleged that during previous Census operations, Indian government had fudged the figures to change the demography of the Muslim-majority Kashmir.

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National Turk / India – Faiz Ahmad

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