Nepal starts collecting data for 12th census

The national census, being conducted every 10 year, has kicked off across Nepal from Thursday. The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) has appealed all people to help by providing correct information to the enumerators, said Tirtharaj Chaulagai, information officer at the Bureau. During a press meet organized on Wednesday the CBS appealed to every citizen to participate in the census.

The 12th National Census officially started on Thursday with the collection of the details of President Bidya Devi Bhandari which was followed by collection of data relating to  Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba by the team from the CBS.

During the 15-day Campaign concluding on November 25, enumerators are making home visits of the people to gather the details demanded by the Census.

The CBS has deployed 44,000 enumerators and 8,500 supervisors across the country to make the census a success. Census offices have been set up in all seven provinces and all 77 districts of the country.

The enumerators will visit door to door with 80 questions for collecting the data. Nepal government has prepared a long questionnaire for the purpose of collecting data on social, economic, educational, health and community development at the local level. The questionnaire also covers disability, hemophilia, autism, mother tongue, religion, immigration, and foreign employment.

Meanwhile, the officials said that they were approaching the Indian authorities through Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal for collecting data in the disputed territories with India such as Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura.

“We are trying to contact Indian authorities through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to conduct the census in those three areas,” informed Director General of Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nabin Lal Shrestha during the press meet. We will use satellite technology to ease the process of collecting information about people residing inKalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhara for the census, he added. “We need permission from the Indian security personnel deployed there to enter the area for collecting data,” said CBS Information Officer at CBS Chaulagai. We are making efforts through diplomatic channels for the purpose, he added. However, the CBS had already listed the households in these areas for the purpose of conducting census, he added.