Census takes off in Karnataka

Mangalore Today News Network

April 16: India Census 2011, acclaimed to be the largest census project ever undertaken in the world, commenced in Karnataka. Governor H R Bharadwaj was the first person to give his family details. 

Anil Kumar, the state census commissioner, and Bharat Kumar Meena, the Brihat Bengalooru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner, went to the Raj Bhavan to officially inaugurate the census. They later visited CM B S Yeddyurappa on Race Course Road. 

During the next 45 days, enumerators from government and other agencies will visit each house and collect the essential details. Each enumerator is expected to cover 150 houses or 650 people within 45 days. Commissioner of the State Census Board Anil Kumar said that a supervisor will be in charge of 6 enumerators. The enumerators have to ask 35 questions; most of them are about bank accounts, ownership of the house, assets, number of vehicles, and so on. 

The census commenced on April 1 in India; and President Prathiba Patel was the first person to divulge her family details. The Census, which is expected to cover the entire population of India, will cost around Rs 2,209 crore. Since 1872, this is the 15th census to be conducted. It is expected to divulge the demographic features of the country and enable the government to implement relevant schemes. 

The census in Mangalore commenced with the census officials visiting the mayor’s house and collecting the required details. K N Vijayaprakash, the commissioner of the Mangalore City Corporation and principal census officer of Mangalore said that the census will continue till June 1. He requested the people to cooperate with the officials. 

Deputy Commission V Ponnuraj, who is also the principal census officer for DK, said in a press release that people can file census-related complaints via the helpline 1077. The census officials can also use the same number to file their complaints.