The biggest Census exercise ever to be attempted in human history to cover India's 1.2 billion population began on Thursday with President Pratibha Patil being the first to be enumerated in the decennial exercise.
The 15th National Census exercise, which will see over 25 lakh officials capturing the socio-economic-cultural profile of its citizens, will also seek information for the creation of the National Population Register.
"My appeal to all brothers and sisters of the country is to wholeheartedly take part in the preparation of the first ever National Population Register. It is important for the nation as well as you," President Patil said after a delegation of the Census officials took down her information.
The delegation included Registrar General and Census Commissioner C Chandramouli and Deputy Director General, National Population Register, S K Chakraborty. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who was also present at the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, it is the first time in human history that 1.2 billion people are being provided I-cards after being identified, counted and enumerated.
"This exercise must succeed and will succeed. We will leave no stone unturned to visit every village, every habitation in the country," he said appealing to the civil society, teachers, parents and authorities to take part in this exercise.
The Census operation would cost around Rs 2,209 crore while the approved cost of the scheme for creation of NPR is Rs 3,539.24 crore. During the mammoth exercise, the enumerators for the first time will collect information like ownership of mobile phones, computers, internet, having treated or untreated drinking water facility.
The enumerators will also seek additional information like name, age, sex, date of birth, besides others for the creation of NPR.
The government has made it clear that no information will be collected on castes as no caste-based census has ever been conducted in independent India.
"We will fill a separate form and give each covered under the census a receipt which will have a number. Once, all the information is digitalised, we will hold designated camps across the country where one will give their fingerprints of their 10 fingers and photograph by showing their receipt," Chakraborty said.
