First federal census to assemble data for ward-level development

Kathmandu, Nov. 13

The 6,742 wards in 753 local units across the country are in dire need of statistics about the people in their respective territories in order to formulate plans and programmes for development works, health and education and social welfare activities.

Likewise, the federal government wants an update on the demographic structure in the local units and provinces for the central level planning and budget allocation. Since Nepal has been witnessing a massive migration from hills and mountains to the southern plains in Terai and from villages to cities, policymakers  and government need an updated demographic information for planning and budget allocation, especially the grants which are also distributed to the sub-national bodies according to the size of population as well.

This is what makes the census momentous and relevant.

Statistics of people collected through census have been widely used for diverse purposes, but especially in development planning and policy making, said the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), a statistical authority under the National Planning Commission (NPC) and census executing agency.

"There is a high demand of data for the governments at all levels. Even the ward offices are looking up to us for the latest statistics about population in their territories," said Nebin Lal Shrestha, Director General of the CBS.

He stated that the statistical body will also segregate data about the rural and urban society and will investigate into if the municipalities in the country fit into the modern definition of 'urban area'.

 

A federal census

However, there is not a big departure from the earlier censuses in terms of questionnaire and data collection. In 2011 census, two sets of questionnaire were created – one for census and another for survey - to collect data on the issues like fertility and economic status. This time, all information will be collected through a single set of questionnaire which includes 80 questions.

Merger of questions from the census and survey and need to collect information to address the demand of federal structure of the country has made the questionnaire extensive.

"If we have rigorous system to collect vital information regularly, there wouldn't be a need to include so many questions. Recently conducted census in the United States of America has used just 10 questions as they collect all other information through the vital registration," said Shrestha.

Likewise, for the first time, current census has used community questionnaire to collect information about the community buildings and other particulars.

 Census process

The fifteen-day campaign was launched on Thursday, November 11 and will run until November 25. About 39,000 enumerators will visit each family across the country to collect information of individual, family, income and other particulars.

Likewise, about 8,500 supervisors are mobilised in the field for the census, they will facilitate the enumerators by providing them household listing forms, maps and supporting them in their works.

The CBS has established seven Provincial Census Offices, 87 district census offices and 349 local census offices across the country. More than one census office is e set up in the districts with large population. For instance, Kathmandu has five census offices, and Morang, Jhapa, Sunsari, Lalitpur, Rupandehi and Kailali have two offices each.

Supervisors are being facilitated by the local census officers who are under the observation of the district or provincial census officer. The latters are being supervised and facilitated by the CBS central office in Kathmandu.

 Household listing

Before launching the census campaign, CBS had successfully conducted the household listing survey in September and October 2021, and collected the details of about 7 million families across the country.

About 8,500 surveyors collected information about the number of members in the family, use of the houses, agricultural land and livestock, government grants received, bank accounts, technical education, and access to loans from banks and financial institutions. The household listing survey also collected data of the members in the family including their gender and sexual minorities, if any.

According to Dr. Hem Raj Regmi, Deputy DG of the CBS, the census is being conducted digitally in six municipalities, including the Kathmandu Metropolis, while e-census will be applied to collect information from the Nepali missions abroad.

The cost of the current census programme is estimated at Rs. 4 billion of which 1.6 billion will be spent on data collection.

 Primary results in three months

Data collection work will be wrapped up this month. The CBS is planning to announce the preliminary results of census within three months after the survey concludes, by mid-March 2022, said Shrestha.

The initial results will include the total population including male and female in districts. According to Shrestha, it will take about seven months to complete the data entry and national report will be published by the end of ninth months from December 2021.

However, it will take about two years to prepare detailed and segregated results of the overall demographics.

 COVID-19 impact

The COVID-19 pandemic had forced the CBS to postpone the programme including the pilot testing of questionnaire.

It had started the preparations for the Census 2021 since July 2019 and was planning to conduct household listing in May this year and questionnaire fill up in June. But second wave of coronavirus pandemic and lockdown disturbed the schedule and CBS announced a new time-table for the job.

All activities of the Census 2021 were suspended by the government on 2 May 2021.

First census in Nepal was conducted in 1911 during the Rana regime. The 1931 census aimed at collecting information about the masters and slaves. First five censuses were conducted by the Office of the Population General and the sixth by the Department of Population.

Later censuses were conducted by the CBS. It used computer to process  the collected data for the first time in 1971 census.

 Nepal's census and population

Year	Population
1911	5,638,749
1921	5,573,788
1931	5,532,574
1941	6,283,649
1952/54	8,256,625
1961	9,412,996
1971	11,555,983
1981	15,022,893
1991	18,491,097
2001	23,151,423
2011	26,494,504
2021	30 million plus (est.)

Source: CBS

Major caste and ethnic groups of Nepal according to Census 2011

S.N.	Caste/Ethnic groups	Population	%
1.	Chhetri	4,398,053	16.60
2.	Hill Brahmin	3,226,903	12.19
3.	Magar	1,887,733	7.12
4.	Tharu	1,737,470	6.56
5.	Tamang	1,539,830	5.81
6.	Newar	1,321,933	4.99
7.	Sanyasi/Dasnami	1,287,633	4.86
8.	Kami	1,258,554	4.75
9.	Muslim	1,164,255	4.39
10.	Yadav	1,054,458	3.98

Source: CBS

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 14 November 2021.