Census Circular No. 1 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONDUCT OF CENSUS-2011

Transcription

1 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE OF CENSUS OPERATIONS, DELHI C - WING, GROUND FLOOR, PUSHPA BHAWAN, MADANGIR ROAD, DELHI Tel No , , , Fax: dco-del.rgi@censusindia.gov.in No. 1/43/2010/DCO- Dated: Census Circular No. 1 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONDUCT OF CENSUS-2011 As you are aware, Census of India is on the anvil, and preparations have already gained momentum with the starting of numbering work on Census houses in the NCT of Delhi. You have been appointed as Census Officer under sub section (2) of Section 4 of the Census Act 1948 (37 of 1948) vide notification No. F- 5/1/09/Plg/Census/DES dated for conduct of Census 2011 in National Capital Territory of Delhi. This first Circular is intended to acquaint you with the procedure of census taking and general instructions pertaining to the organization of Census More circulars shall be issued as the work progresses. These circulars would serve as general communications for conducting Census 2011, which is to be accomplished in a time bound manner. The notified time schedule for conducting the Census (phase wise) in NCT of Delhi is as under: (i) Houselisting Operations/ NPR (First Phase): 1 st May, 2010 to 15 th June, 2010 (ii) Population Enumeration (Second Phase): 9 th to 28 th February, 2011 Census of India is the biggest administrative exercise in the world, and a task of great national importance, and we are all privileged to be a part of this work, that too, to conduct it in the National Capital. This circular will enable you to familiarize yourself with the powers vested in you under the Census Act by virtue of your appointment as Census Officer and also apprise you for conducting this gigantic task successfully in NCT of Delhi in terms of the responsibilities entailed with the conducting of Census General:- The Indian Census is the most prestigious and reliable in the world and has the rare distinction of having a long and unbroken series of censuses for over a hundred years, dating back from It has gained the reputation of continuing an unbroken 1

2 series of census even in the adverse situations of natural calamities, world war, war and famines in the country. It shows the importance given by the Government of India to the census and the dedication to the census taking in the country. Thus it becomes unique in the world. The forthcoming Census 2011 is the 15 th in this unbroken series: the 7 th Census after Independence, and the 2nd Census of the 21 st Century. A notification has already been issued by the Govt. of India under section 3 of the Census Act 1948, declaring the intention of Union Govt. of taking the Census of India It has declared the Census Moment as 0.00 hours, with Reference Date as 1st March, 2011 and Reference Period as 9-28 Feb The notification has been republished in the State Gazette by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi. A copy is enclosed for your reference. 2.1 Census of India has both static and dynamic aspects. In its static aspect, it provides a photographic picture (snapshot) of its people at a particular moment in time. In its dynamic aspect, it provides long term trends in population characteristics by comparison of data from one census to the next. The comprehensive primary data so generated is considered the most reliable source of socio-economic & demographic information on various facets of life for the use of administrators, town planners, social scientists, and other academicians & researchers. Thus, it is the bed rock of decision making for all planning and policy. It also provides the basis for deciding the No. of seats for Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha & State Assemblies and delimiting the constituencies for the same. 2.2 Regarding National Population Register:- The Census of India 2011 is a departure from the earlier census because, this time, the National Population Register (NPR) is being dovetailed with it during the Houselisting Operation. In the wake of the emerging threat of terrorism due to cross border infiltration, the necessity was felt to prepare a complete record of all persons in the country, and it was decided by the Govt. of India after serious deliberations that a National Population Register shall be created, which would contain specific information for each individual in the country. For this purpose, an amendment was made in 2003 to the Citizenship Act, 1955, and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of Identity Cards) Rules were also notified in the same year. Thus, the NPR shall provide a unique and comprehensive data base to identify all individuals and give them each a Unique Identity Card. 2.3 Role of Revenue Authorities in NPR Census Officers in Delhi are mainly appointed from the Urban Local Bodies because, Delhi being essentially an urban area, primary collection of census data has to be undertaken as per urban administrative units (wards), though it is later also compiled district and sub division wise. Sub Divisional Magistrates have been appointed in the rural parts of Delhi, where village wise data collection is equally important. However, the District Administration, i.e., the Deputy Commissioners of Revenue Department, are likely to be given an important role in the creation and maintenance of the National Population Register, for which detailed information is being sent separately. 3. Legal Backing: The Census of India is backed by a strong legal frame work vested in the Census Act 1948 (Act No. 37 of 1948) amended in 1993, and Rules made therein. It describes the duties & responsibilities of Census functionaries, the powers of census authorities and penalties to be imposed on any person who hinders the census taking. Copies of the Census Act 1948, the Census (Amen dment) Act 1993 effective from 2

3 , and Census Rules 1990 are enclosed for your reference (Annexure- I). It is mandatory for all Census Officers to be thoroughly aware of their duties, responsibilities, powers and privileges as cast upon them by the Census Act. It is, therefore, advised that you must study the Act and acquaint yourself thoroughly with its provisions. 3.1 Apart from the Census Act 1948, the Right of Children to Free & Compulsory Primary Education Act, 2009, also strengthens the authority in census taking particularly with regard to appointing of teachers as Census functionaries. Section 27 of the above Act clearly states as follows: No teacher shall be deployed for any non-educational purpose other than the decennial population censuses, disaster relief duties or duties relating to election to the local authority on the State legislature or parliament, as the case may be. Thus, this Act paves the way to appoint teachers as Census Enumerators and Supervisors, as it overrides all the existing judgments, of any kind, on the matter of appointment of teachers for performing census relating duties. Thus teachers can be utilized in this great national task. However, all efforts shall be made by us to ensure that there is negligible impact on their teaching duties while they are carrying out census work. 4. Hierarchy of census functionaries: As the taking of population census in India is a mammoth task, it requires the involvement of Central Government, State Government, Local Authorities, and cooperation of the public to accomplish this task of National importance. Census taking in India is primarily administered by the Union Government and executed through the State and Local Governments. 4.1 Census Officers:- Under sub section 2 of section 4 of the Census Act 1948 (Act No. 37 & 1948), Officers of urban local bodies and revenue administration have been appointed as Census Officers as below:- Sl.No. Authority Census Designation Areas Commissioner, Municipal Principal Census Officer The entire area in Corporation of Delhi. jurisdiction of MCD 2. Additional Commissioner City Census Officer The entire area in (Engineering), MCD jurisdiction of MCD. 3. Chairman, New Delhi Principal Census Officer The entire area under Municipal Council jurisdiction of New Delhi Municipal Council. 4. Secretary, New Delhi City Census Officer The entire area under Municipal Council jurisdiction of the New Delhi Municipal Council. 3

4 5. Chief Executive Officer Town Census Officer The entire area under Delhi Cantonment Board the jurisdiction of Delhi Cantonment Board. 6. Zonal Deputy Zonal Census Officer The entire urban area Commissioners of of all the wards falling all the Zones of Delhi under the jurisdiction Municipal Corporations of their Respective Zones 7. Sub Divisional Magistrates/ Sub Divisional Census The entire rural area Revenue Assistants Officer falling under the Jurisdiction of their respective Sub Divisions. 4.2 Charge Officers:- The Census Officers mentioned above will be assisted by Charge Officers for conducting the census in the areas allocated to each of them. The entire NCT of Delhi is covered within the jurisdiction of three Urban Local Bodies (known in Census terminology as Statutory Towns), namely MCD, NDMC & Delhi Cantonment Board, comprising of 272 wards, 9 charges and 8 wards respectively. In each ward/charge of the Statutory Town, one Charge Officer is appointed, except in the Delhi Cantonment Board, where 8 wards have been grouped into 2 Census charges, and 2 Charge Officers for these 8 wards have been appointed. Besides these, 40 Charge Officers would be appointed for Special Charges in restricted areas which are under the control of the Defence Ministry. In the NCT of Delhi, Charge Officers are generally appointed from amongst the Principals./Vice Principals of Sr. Sec. Schools and Officers of NDMC/Delhi Cantonment Board. In some wards having a substantial number of rural villages, the respective Tehsildars have been appointed. 4.3 Supervisors/Enumerators: Charge Officers execute their census related work through Enumerators and Supervisors by dividing their charge into manageable blocks called Houselisting Blocks/ Enumeration Blocks. Each Houselisting Block/Enumeration Block generally consists of about 150 census houses or 600 population, whichever is less, but for operational conveniences it may vary from population. One Enumerator would be appointed in the HLB/EB thus delineated. Six contiguous Houselisting Blocks/Enumeration Blocks will be grouped to form a supervisory circle and a Supervisor will be appointed for each supervisory circle. The role of the Supervisor would be to supervise the work of enumerator meticulously, to solve any problems of identification of Enumeration Blocks, or doubts regarding their boundaries, and to resolve any other problems faced by the Enumerators under his/her control. The Supervisor also has to ensure full coverage of each EB without duplication or omission of the area, houses, households & population in his/her jurisdiction. Thus the Supervisor is an important link between the Enumerators and the Charge Officer. 5. Broad stages of Census taking: Preparatory steps:- (A) Legal frame work:- Various notifications/orders are made under the Census Act to enable execution of census work, such as: 4

5 1) Issue of notification regarding intention of taking Census of Govt. of India and republication of the same in the state Gazette. (Annexure II&III) 2) Republishing the notification date, census momentum, period of House listing operation and National Population Register (NPR) and population enumeration under section 3 of the Act. 3) Issue of Notification regarding appointment of Nodal officer of the state for conducting of Census in the state. 4) Fixing of Boundaries of various administration units in the state on a specific point of time. 5) Issue of Notification regarding appointment of Census officers i.e. Principal Census officers, City/town/Zonal Census officers etc. under subsection 2 of section 4 of Census Act (Annexure IV) 6) Issue of Notification regarding Delegation of Powers to all Census officers with different designation s under section 4(2) of Census Act (Annexure V) 7) Issue of Notification regarding authorizing Census officers to sign declaration of appointment of supervisors and enumerators under subsection 3 of section 4 of the Census Act, (Annexure VI) 8) Gazette notification of Census questionnaires for House listing operation and NPR. 9) Notification of Census Household schedule for actual count. 10) Notification regarding charge officers and the jurisdiction of their charges under Subsection 2 of Section 4 of Census Act ) Imposition of restriction on the transfer of enumerators, supervisors and charge officers for a specific period. 12) Publication of notification directing the public to Co-operate in furnishing accurate and unambiguous information in respect of the question that may be put to them through Census along with an extract of penalties prescribed under section 11 of the Census Act, (B) Updating ward maps:- To ensure complete census taking in an administrative unit, it is essential to update its jurisdictional maps, so as to ensure coverage of any new settlements that may have come up after the previous Census of India This work is already under way in coordination with the DSSDI, which is an agency of the Survey of India and the Delhi Government. (C) Numbering of Census Houses:-The housing pattern in NCT of Delhi can be broadly classified in 3 categories, namely, first the authorized housing settlements having regular house numbers, the second being irregularly settled areas having unsystematic numbering, and thirdly, totally unnumbered houses. The latter two categories require putting of Census house numbers afresh only for the purpose of conducting the census, so that work can be equally distributed among enumerators and supervisors by carving out the Houselisting block/ enumeration blocks on the basis of these house numbers rationally. In NCT of Delhi the work of house numbering / renumbering is being carried out by the Local Authorities with supervision of the DCO, and the numbering is being put by red paint as CN-1, CN-2,..CN-n, in a particular colony/area ward wise. (D) Hierarchy of Administrative units and assigning location codes thereto: - Compilation and dissemination of Census data is done at the levels hierarchical levels of administrative unit s viz. State/ District/ Sub-District/ Village/ Town/ Ward/ EB s. The compilation work is completely computerized. The data in the schedules (forms) filled by Enumerators is to be captured by Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR), for which the 5

6 paper forms will undergo scanning. Therefore a coding structure to uniquely identify administrative units is mandatory for processing of data. The unique coding system devised by the Registrar General of India office for this purpose will be explained to you in the course of training. (E) Classification of rural and urban areas: It has been the tradition of the Indian Census to present data for rural and urban areas separately. Generally all the Statutory Towns come under the preview of urban areas and all the revenue village are under rural areas. However, in the case of Delhi, even though the entire area of NCT Delhi falls within one of the three urban bodies (statutory towns), there are a large number of revenue villages within the wards of MCD which are still entirely rural in character. Data is compiled for these villages both as revenue villages and as part of their respective MCD ward. Further, for the census purpose, the larger and more densely populated rural (not declared by the State Government as urban) villages which fulfill certain specified demographic criteria are classified as urban areas and known in Census terminology as Census Towns. For Census-2011, there are 3 Statutory Towns (viz. MCD, NDMC, Delhi Cantonment Board), 110 Census Towns and 112 rural villages in the NCT of Delhi. The boundaries of Administrative units have been frozen for census work w.e.f (F) Delineating of House listing Blocks/ Enumeration Blocks:- For conducting the Census smoothly it is essential to divide each Charge into Houselisting Blocks/ Enumeration Blocks of similar size to ensure the full coverage without duplication and omission and to distribute the work load equitably amongst Enumerators & Supervisors. In NCT of Delhi the Houselisting Blocks/ Enumeration Blocks will be approximately With the aim of separately compiling data for slum and slum like areas to aid policy making for such populations, special instructions have been issued to carve out slum EBs separately. The work of carving out EBs is under way in the office of DCO. (G) Training: - As the functionaries utilized in census may not be aware about the concepts and procedures used in conducting the census, training becomes an important and integral part of census taking. It is a prerequisite for successful conduct of the population census. The strategy of training is traditionally on the basis of filter down method; thus, the Census Officers and Charge Officers are trained first, and it is subsequently their responsibility to ensure training of Supervisors and Enumerators with the help of Master Trainers. Training of Census Officers listed in para 4.1 above shall be held in mid March Training of Charge Officers and Master Trainers, of four days duration, shall be conducted by the National Trainers and Master Trainer Facilitators from DCO office in late March- early April 2010, according to a staggered ward wise schedule. Training of Enumerators and Supervisors, of three days duration, shall be similarly conducted in April 2010, before the commencement of Houselisting on 1st May Detailed schedules for training are being drawn up by us. We will be taking inputs from you too on this subject before finalising the training schedules. (H) Publicity:- The exercise of conducting population census, which involves the contribution of the whole country, cannot be accomplished merely by Govt. functionaries since it requires the active co-operation of the public. Thus, wide publicity becomes essential for conducting the census effectively and efficiently. The objective of this publicity has many dimensions. It is not only intended to catch the eye but also to sensitize and educate the public regarding importance of census taking, questions to be asked, responsibilities of public for answering these questions, their duties in making the 6

7 conducting of census successful, and penalties for obstructing the census taking. The cooperation of public and therefore the quality of data collected during census depends upon the effectiveness of the publicity. The publicity of census taking is to be done by the Central Government at the national level and the State Government and the local authorities at the local level. The strategy of publicity in NCT of Delhi is being worked out. All Census Officers, both as officers appointed under the Census Act as well as in their substantive official capacity, whether as seniormost decision makers within their jurisdiction, or- in case of Charge Officers- as Principal of a school, as Tehsildar, or as officer of a local urban body-, can greatly contribute to the publicity efforts by dint of their already well established contact with the public of their area. We would welcome any suggestions in this respect. (I) Issue of appointment letters to Census Functionaries: The appointment letters of Census Charge Officers have already been issued by this Directorate and their notification is being issued separately. The appointment of Enumerators & Supervisors will be determined after carving out of Houselisting Blocks/Enumeration Blocks by this Directorate and the appointment letters are to be prepared, signed and served by the respective Charge Officers. These appointment letters are to be issued in March 2010, before starting the training sessions of the Enumerators and Supervisors. (J) Preparation of Charge Register: The entire record of the Houselisting/ NPR in your Charge is to be maintained in a single folder- like document called the Charge Register, starting from the details of all appointees, the description of the HLBs/ EBs in the Charge, and detailed accounting of all other activities at each stage, such as training, receipt and dispatch of materials, payment of honorarium to census functionaries, etc. There are tasks related to the Charge Register before, during and after the Operation. Charge Officers will be given training on how to maintain it and also be given certain facilities for clerical assistance for the purpose. (K) Distribution of Census Material: Unlike the earlier Censuses, this time the census material will be dispatched directly to the Charge Officers through Department of Post. Therefore, while receiving the census materials, Charge Officers must ensure that the material is as per inventory pertaining to their Charge. The distribution of instruction manuals for Houselisting and NPR, blank schedules (forms), and other census material will be distributed through Charge Officers on the last day of training of HLO/NPR in the month of April, The filled in Houselist/NPR Schedules are to be dispatched by the Charge Officer through Department of Post. Detailed information regarding this will be given in subsequent Circulars/instructions. A similar process is to be followed at the time of Population Enumeration next year. 5.2 Actual Conduct of Houselisting Operation and National Population Register (HLO & NPR):- Houselisting is a prerequisite for the population enumeration as it provides the complete updated frame for population enumeration. In Houselisting operation every possible potential house or vessel is listed with a view to ensure the population habitation in territories and also to ascertain the housing data. In Houselisting operation each and every house is listed in a schedule called a Houselisting Schedule. The data is collected on the condition of houses, amenities and assets owned by the household residing in the house. In Census- 2011, the information for National Population Register (NPR) will also be collected during Houselisting Operation through a 7

8 separate NPR Schedule. The Houselisitng Operation & NPR in NCT of Delhi will be carried out during 1st May, 2010 to 15 th June, Census Officers and Charge Officers must ensure that both these tasks are completed simultaneously. 5.3 Population Enumeration:- The population enumeration is the most important stage of the census taking. As the 1st phase i.e. Houselisting Operation provides the complete frame of administrative units in forms of Houselisting blocks based on the approximate population and number of houses, it often becomes necessary to transform these HLBs in to the enumeration block by recarving the jurisdiction of HLB. The actual count is to be done on the basis of enumeration blocks through a Household Schedule containing specified questions of socio economic and demographic nature. The Population Enumeration will be conducted during 9 th to 28 th February 2011 in NCT of Delhi with a revisional round between 1 st March to 5 th March, These dates are notified and no deviation is allowed in these dates. It is therefore, requested that you must strictly ensure that the work is completed between these dates. 6. By reading the above paragraphs you would have got a fair idea of the scope of the tasks before us. We will keep communicating detailed and comprehensive instructions through such circulars as the successive stages of work come before us. 7. These instructions in form of the circulars/letters are prepared in accordance with the provision of the Census Act/Rules as well as guidelines/instructions issued by the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. It is therefore of utmost importance for Census Officers and Charge Officers to go through the each such circular/letter/instruction meticulously as soon as it is received, since all our work has a legal sanctity and even minor errors could vitiate the census process irreversibly. Needless to say, Census has to take place at the same moment all over the country so there is no scope for doing any of our tasks all over again if we make mistakes. You must therefore thoroughly understand the contents of these circulars and make sure to clear your doubts by consulting us at once, so that the essential steps required for conducting the census can be taken up at the right time and correctly. 8. Similarly, for a task of such magnitude which requires timely completion of sequential steps, any delay, however small, at any stage could upset the entire process of Census taking. It is, therefore, requested that you must ensure timely completion of each and every item of work through close monitoring. 9. For keeping track on the various items of work, a Census Calendar for Census 2011 is being finalized by this Directorate, which will be sent to you shortly. After receiving the Census Calendar, you may kindly go through it carefully and impress upon all concerned that various preparatory measures of the Census Operations shall have to be under taken by the deadlines prescribed in the census calendar. 10. To summarize: I. Kindly keep yourself updated with the instructions issued by this office from time to time through the census circulars. II. Please determine the steps involved in conducting the census in light of these circulars/instructions at your own level and for the census functionaries under your control. 8

9 III. Keep constant monitoring on the actions taken for the various tasks of census operations by Census Officers under your control so that the timely completion of each item of work may be ensured. IV. Keep us informed of all the important matters and their status related to the conducting of Census from time to time. V. Please evolve a mechanism at your own level for ensuring the successful completion of conducting of Census through organizing, planning, controlling, monitoring and coordinating the field functionaries. All Officers are requested to make Census an item of their regular review meetings. VI. In case of any doubt, ambiguity, query regarding conducting of Census please feel free to seek clarifications from this Directorate. Please acknowledge the receipt of the circular. Hindi version of the circular will follow. Yours sincerely, Encl: Annexure- I to VI (VARSHA JOSHI, IAS) DIRECTOR, CENSUS OPERATIONS, DELHI (CHIEF PRINCIPAL CENSUS OFFICER) No. 1/43/2010/DCO- Dated: To 1. The Commissioner, MCD, Principal Census Officer, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi Gate, Delhi 2. The Additional Commissioner (Engg.), MCD, City Census Officer, Municipal Corporation, of Delhi, Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi Gate, Delhi 3. The Chairman, NDMC, Principal Census Officer, NDMC, Palika Kendra, New Delhi 4. The Secretary, NDMC, City Census Officer, NDMC, Palika Kendra, New Delhi. 5. The Director (Admn), NDMC, Additional City Census Officer, NDMC, Palika Kendra, New Delhi. 6. The Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Cantonment Board, Town Census Officer, Delhi Cantonment, New Delhi. 7. All the Dy. Commissioners, MCD Zones, Zonal Census Officers. 8. All Sub Divisional Magistrates of Govt. of NCT of Delhi. 9. All Census Charge Officers. (VARSHA JOSHI, IAS) DIRECTOR, CENSUS OPERATIONS, DELHI (CHIEF PRINCIPAL CENSUS OFFICER) 9

10 No. 1/43/2010/DCO- Dated: Copy for information to:- 1. The Chief Secretary, Govt. of NCT of Delhi 2. Principal Secretary Planning (Nodal Officer), Govt. of NCT of Delhi 3. The Divisional Commissioner, Govt. of NCT of Delhi 4. All Deputy Commissioners, Govt. of NCT of Delhi 5. The Development Commissioner, Govt. of NCT of Delhi 6. Additional Commissioner, Slum & JJ, Govt. of NCT of Delhi 7. Director, Economics & Statistics, Govt. of NCT of Delhi 8. The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, 2A Man Singh Road, New Delhi 9. The Directorates of Census Operations of all States & Union Territories. 10. DDCO, ADCO, DCO- Delhi 11. Hindi Translator (RAM AVATAR) ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CENSUS OPERATIONS, DELHI (ASSISTANT CHIEF PRINCIPAL CENSUS OFFICER) 10