Census 2021 begins five months later than schedule

Kathmandu, Sept. 16

The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) is aiming to complete the main survey for data collection work for the Census 2021 by 25 November this year.

The statistical body under the National Planning Commission (NPC) had begun the preparations for the census since July 2019 and was planning to conduct household listing from 9 to 28 May 2021 and questionnaire fill up from 8 to 22 June but the second phase of coronavirus pandemic and lockdown affected the plan and it was re-announced for before and after the great festival season in the country.

All activities of the census were suspended by the government through a Cabinet decision on 2 May, 2021.

According to a new schedule, data collection for the 12^th census will begin on 11 November, a day after Chhath Festival and four-day after Bhai Tika, the second largest festival in Nepal, and will continue for 15 days, said Dr. Hem Raj Regmi, Deputy Director General of CBS. About 40,000 enumerators would spread across the country to visit every single household in order to make the exact record of population.

Likewise, the household listing started on Wednesday, 15 September and will run for 20 days till 4 October. CBS has mobilised 8,500 supervisors to collect the details of about 7 million families residing in all residential and community buildings across the country, said Dr. Regmi.

They will collect the number of members in the family, use of the house, agricultural land and livestock, government grants received, bank accounts, technical education, and access to loan in the bank and financial institutions (BFIs).

Surveyors will collect the data of the members in the family including their gender and sexual minorities. Likewise, the use of house data will give statistics about the number of buildings used for residence, trade and business, government office, educational institution, health facilities, industry and factories, BFIs, hotels and lodges, sheds and empty buildings.

Enumerators will visit the households listed by the supervisors in the second phase.

They will fill up the main questionnaire and collect details of the family, individual's birth, death, migration and other demographic details. Basic resources of the ward, capacity, infrastructure and disaster related information would be collected in the second phase.

CBS said that the census helps in formulating plans from federal to local level, execute them and organize monitoring activities.

As per earlier information given by the CBS, the census will cost about Rs. 4 billion. It will take about nine months to publish final results but preliminary results will be announced within four to five months.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 September 2021.