PANAJI: The biggest ever Census operation in the country and the state would get underway on Thursday (April 1), with 3,013 enumerators and 502 supervisors collecting data relating to available infrastructure, household particulars, amenities, assets and individual particulars.

The director of Census and chief registrar of births and deaths in the state, Mr A K Wasnik, told The Navhind Times that the Census, conducted every 10 years, is the 15th in succession since the first one was carried out in 1872 in the country and fifth in the state. He said that data collected would help the authorities at the Centre to frame five-year and annual plans using the available statistics.

Mr Wasnik also stated that whole of state has been divided into 3,013 enumeration blocks and each enumeration block consists of 120-150 houses. The work of six enumerators would be supervised by a supervisor. The Census operation would continue till May 15 and the field staff would be on the job for 45 days.

Along with the Census work the staff would also be collecting data for creation of the first National Population Register, where in data of each individual above 15 years would be collected for the purpose. The registry is being created as per the Citizenship Act 1955 and the rules framed there under in 2003.

Based on the information collected individuals above 18 years would be issued national identity cards, while those above 15 but less than 18 years would be shown in the identity cards of the parents, said Mr Wasnik. He also said the information collected under National Population Registry would be sent to gram sabhas for verifying the facts and in case complaints or objections were filed than the collectors would decide on the issue.

He said that data of individuals staying in the coastal belt was already collected in September-October last year under a nationwide programme and 26 villages in North Goa and 25 villages in South Goa were covered. The data collected was being fed into computers and would be followed by biometric fingerprinting and photography would be taken up soon and cards issued to the people.

Mr Wasnik also said the information collected for creation of National Population Register could be used for generating individual code for citizens under Unique Identity Cards scheme of the Union government.

Meanwhile, the authorities informed that in order to lessen the hardship of the people in view of large number of government staff being deputed for Census work, it has been decided that the staff would now undertake Census work on every alternate day.