First result of economic census in August

Kathmandu, July 20: The preliminary report of the first-ever Economic Census conducted from mid-May to mid-July in the country will be published by the end of August, according to the Central Bureau of Statics (CBS).

The statistical body under the National Planning Commission (NPC) has concluded the data collection of the Economic Census 2018, which is being executed to collect, process and analyse the details of all business units – both government and private sector, and of all scales – with the aim of creating benchmark data for seamless economic statistics.

"All the forms have been collected at 33 statistical offices across the country. Coding and data entry will begin within a couple of weeks. I think we will be able to deliver the preliminary result by the end of August," said Anil Sharma, Director of the Economic Census Division at the CBS.

The first set of results will include vital information about the economic establishments with about five to six tables, he said.

According to him, all the data entry works will be completed by November, and verification of data will be done in December. The final National Statistical Report will be published in February 2019.

The statistical body is enabling all its 33 branches with sufficient resources required to conduct the data entry. The data entry will be done at the branch offices for the first time in CBS history.

"Most of the branch offices, especially in the hills, have the required infrastructure, however districts, such as Parsa, Banke, Rupandehi, Morang and Chitwan, with a large number of industrial and business establishments need additional resources. It will be managed soon," said Sharma.

The census has collected data of about a million establishments although an earlier estimate by the CBS mentioned that the country might have more than 1.3 million enterprises – 800,000 with the Personal Account Number (PAN) and about 500,000 micro, cottage and small business enterprises not registered with the government.

The CBS had established field offices in all 77 districts for the census.

The Economic Census will create basic statistics of the local units as well, which may help the investors to establish and expand their business or industry to new areas across the country. 

“It will provide reliable data for planning and policy formulation to the government, universities and private sector bodies. Businessmen can establish and expand their businesses on the basis of the statistics,” said Sharma. 

The census has collected information of business institutions relating to mines and excavation, industrial production, electricity, water supply, waste management, construction, wholesale and retail trade, vehicles, transportation and warehouse, foods, information and communication, finance and insurance, education, health, social works, art, entertainment, real estate, administrative and technical services. 

Information, such as addresses of the business enterprises, major activities, employment, capital investment and access to credit, will be included.  

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing technical support to the CBS for the census. It includes information technology (IT) system and knowledge support. 

The Rs. 420 million programme had used the questionnaire, tablet and e-census method to collect the data in the field. 

The census is to be conducted every five years.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 July 2018.