The authorities are pulling out all the stops to complete the new census in time to redraw electoral constituencies for the next general election, due in the second half of 2023.
By Muhammad Ali
ISLAMABAD: The government has removed another major stumbling block in the way of conducting the upcoming 7th Population and Housing Census by granting approval of PKR 5 billion in funds in favour of the Ministry of Planning.
The Ministry of Finance has surrendered the allocated funds of PKR 5 billion for conducting the Population and Housing Census in favour of the Ministry of Planning.
The Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives has obtained the approval of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) for the provision of funds for the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) through a technical supplementary grant for fool proof arrangements to conduct the upcoming census.
The results of last census, held in 2017, remained controversial, especially in urban areas of Karachi. But the general election of 2018 was held on its basis as the delimitation of constituencies were done and the general elections were conducted in all over the country.
Now under the security of armed forces personnel, the government wanted the accomplishment of the 7th population and housing census in December/January of the current fiscal year. The upcoming election, due in the second half of calendar year 2023, could be conducted on the basis of the results of the new census as there will be sufficient time available for delimitation of constituencies of the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies.
The Council of Common Interests (CCI) in its 45th meeting, held on 12th April 2021 during the tenure of PTI led regime approved the final results of the 6th Population and Housing Census, 2017. It also decided that the process of the next census should start as early as possible according to international best practices by using the latest technology.
In compliance with this decision of CCI, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) started preparatory work to conduct first ever Digital Population and Housing Census.
The Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives (PD&SI) has constituted a Census Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising of renowned demographers and experts to devise recommendations for adoption of international best practices by using latest technology for the 7th Population & Housing Census.
The Committee after several meetings finalised the recommendations for the conduct of 7th Population & Housing Census with transparency and wider acceptability. One of the main recommendations of the committee is to carry out the census “digitally” with real-time monitoring and geotagging of all structures at block level.
The activities for conduct of 7th Population & Housing Census are in full swing and pilot census has been completed on 3rd August, 2022. The PBS has engaged all relevant organisations and agencies including NADRA, SUPARCO, NTC M/o I.T, provincial and district administrations and the armed forces to complete this mega event of national importance.
For the conduct of 7th Population & Housing Census, a lump provision amounting to PKR 5 billion under Demand No. 045-Grant, Subsidies and Misc. Expenditure was allocated under the Demand of Finance Division in the budget for fiscal year 2022-23.
Since Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives is the administrative Ministry of PBS, Finance Division was requested to surrender the funds in favour of M/o PD&SI Demand No. 079-Current Expenditure.
Finance Division vide, O.M. No. l (50)-DS-Exp(P1g)/2021-244, dated 21st September, 2022 advised to submit a Summary for ECC for the approval of TSG.
It is proposed to allow Technical Supplementary Grant amounting to PKR 5 billion in favour of PBS under Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Current Expenditure for conduct of 7th Population and Housing Census.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal directed the PBS the other day to send a fresh summary to the CCI and the Prime Minister’s Office with a fresh timeline over the 7th Digital Census 2022.
The Minister made these directions while chairing a meeting to review progress on the 7th Digital Census 2022. The meeting was attended by the Secretary Planning Commission, Chief PBS, Chairman NDRA, and other officials. During the meeting, the Minister was apprised about the so far progress on the census.
The PBS chief informed the Minister that earlier summary was submitted after agreement with NADRA for conduct of Census wef October 15, 2022 to November 15, 2022. However, due to delay in opening of the Letter of Credit for the purchase, NADRA remained unable to provide tablets in that time window.
NADRA then informed the authorities that the 126,000 tablets requisitioned will be handed over in phases by December 2022. due to prevailing economic situation. It, however, promised to deliver the census ERP software by October 15, 2022 for testing.
Keeping in view the sensitivity of matter, the PBS adjusted the training of Master trainers and Training of trainers at divisional level in month of November and December 2022. However, as training at tehsil level for 120,000 field staff in field work cannot be initiated before the complete handover of tablets.
This is why after all considerations and running activities in parallel, the timeline has been revised and now the field work will take place from February 1, 2023 to March 4, 2023 and the results after conduct of post enumeration survey will be handed over to ECP by April 30, 2023 for delimitation purposes.
However, the Minister expressed concerns over the extension of the deadline and asked the PBS to urgently intimate the CCI and PM Office due to sensitivity of matter. He also emphasised that the further delay cannot be acceptable as the next elections will be based on this Census.
The Minister also directed PBS to ensure the quality of the training at the tehsil level. He recommended inclusion of HEC and academia to monitor the training at tehsils level as quality training is essential for credible and reliable data. He was of the view that the assessment should be done by an independent third-party organisation.
The PBS chief further informed the minister that so far NADRA has handed over 22,000 tables for the census which have been hardened and now ready to dispatch. The remainder of the ordered devices will be handed over soon, with a batch of 21,600 more tablets due at PBS on Monday, which will promptly go into the hardening process.
It was further informed that training of master trainers will be take place from November 28 to December 10, 2022. Self-enumerators’ training will start from January 15, 2023. The Minister directed all concerned to expedite the process and strictly adhere to the revised timelines in view of the sensitivity of matter.
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