[Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-58

[Taha Mehmood]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/After_2011_10-yearly_census_may_be_a_thing_of_the_past/articleshow/2980899.cms

After 2011, 10-yearly census may be a thing of the past
25 Apr 2008, 0405 hrs IST, TNN


NEW DELHI: Census 2011 may be the last such gigantic exercise for population
enumeration in India which has been a regular drill every 10 years
since 1872. If the government has its way, the country will move to a new
era of having a "real time population data" post-2011 — making it possible
to have ready to use accurate population data at merely click of the mouse
at any point of time.

The shift will be possible as the government is planning to merge the
preparation of the electronically-guided National Population Register (NPR)
with the 2011 Census. The NPR will subsequently be linked to the system of
registration of births and deaths in the country and the process will update
the data using every addition and deletion.

Stating the possibility of such exercise post-2011, home minister Shivraj
Patil said on Thursday, "The NPR may, in fact, usher in the era of register
based census in the country which will help in future to have the estimates
of population on a real time basis by combining it with the system of
resignation of births and deaths in the country."

Addressing the Data Users Conference for Census 2011, Patil said, "I expect
that the creation of NPR with the same reference date as the census will be
immensely useful and will serve as a ready reckoner to know the number in
each family/household."

Since the NPR will have specified characteristics of each individual along
with the photograph and finger biometrics, the register will provide a more
comprehensive and accurate data to demographers and experts.

The idea to have new system in place of the traditional approach of
population enumeration gained ground within the government in the wake of
number of discrepancies reported in the 2001 Census. Even the home minister
admitted to the shortcomings of the traditional method while addressing
experts and officials during the conference.

He said, "The real test of quality of data comes when it is used for
application in the real life situations. In the delimitation exercise which
has been completed for most of the states in the country, doubts have been
raised about the population data in 2001 census in certain states."

Discrepancies in the data occur as under the traditional approach, the
population is counted wherever they are found to be living during the three
weeks of census taking. But with the increasing mobility and, consequent,
inter-state migration of the people, this approach has a limitation of
giving exact figure.

Officials participating in the conference believe that shifting from the
traditional method of census — which happens every 10 years — to the new
real-time regular data collection will not only solve the problem but also
save thousands of crores of rupees.

In fact, the 2001 Census cost Rs 1,403 crore to the exchequer. The
expenditure will be higher in 2011 when the population of the country is
expected to be around 1.20 billion. But, what about the other kind of data
being collected during the census? Officials said that socio-economic data —
including literacy and occupation figures — may also be updated in the NPR
as per change in profile of individuals being recorded in the ongoing
Multi-Purpose National Identity Card Scheme (MNIC).

With release of census data currently taking four to eight years from the
date of completion of the exercise, Patil said efforts should be made to
complete the task in two to three years.

He said, "It should be our endeavour to squeeze the time further and
complete the release of 2011 data in maximum two to three years from the
date of completion of census."