“The work that you are about to begin will greatly contribute to the future of our country by providing basic inputs which go into the planning exercise…you are a part of the nation building activities…I appeal to all of you to take up the work entrusted to you in right earnest and ensure that Census 2011 is a complete success..” thus goes from the desk of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India in the Instruction Manual of Census 2011. In Nagaland, for the purpose population enumeration about 3900 enumerators have been appointed and trained to visit every single building, census house, household and individual in the state without omission or duplication. Each enumerator will be entrusted with an enumeration block. Before undertaking the work of population enumeration which starts from 9th Feb, the trained enumerator is expected to establish proper rapport with the elderly and prominent persons of his/her block explaining to them the purpose of his/her visit and also locate and identify each and every house and structure along with all such places where houseless population may live. The houseless population will be enumerated on the night of 28th Feb 2011 all over the country. The enumerator will go for re-visit from 1st March to 5th March, to enumerate any new visitor not numerated earlier elsewhere and also take into account new births and deaths that may have taken place in any of the households that has been visited earlier but before 00.00 hours of 1st march 2011 . Births, deaths and new arrivals of visitors that take place after 00.00 hours of 1st March, 2011 will not be enumerated.
The enumerator is appointed under the Census Act 1948 and he/she has the sanction of Law. This law while providing certain protection to the enumerator in discharge of legitimate duties also provide penalties if duties are not performed as per the Act.
Rights under Census Act are :
(1) To enter house/enclosure ( having regard to local customs) for census purposes (2) To paint/affix numbers on buildings for census purpose (3) To ask all such questions as printed in the Household Schedule ( Q. 1. to Q. 29. ) (4) To obtain the answers from the respondents as printed in Household Schedule.
Penalties under the Census Act are :
Appointment under the Act automatically binds the enumerator to conduct the assigned Census operations with due diligence and failure results in imposing penalties. (1)The following offences are punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees and with imprisonment which may extend to 3 years.
(a) refusing to perform any duty imposed upon a person under the Act or Census rules 1990 or obstructing another person in performing such duty (b) putting offensive or improper questions or knowingly making false returns (c) disclosing any information which she/he has received by means of, or for the purposes of, a Census return without the previous sanction of the Govt. (2) the following offences are punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees ; (a) neglecting to use reasonable diligence in performing any duty upon a person under the Census Act or Census Rules. (b) Abetting any offence under sub-section (1) of section 11 of the Census Act, 1948.
Indeed the duties of the enumerators are very important and challenging. Walking long, dusty and difficult distances, putting long hours from morning till night, knocking on each door, explaining to each head of the household and asking questions from Q1 to Q 29 and noting down all responses is not going to be easy. But the job of the enumerator will be made easier, more satisfying and rewarding and worth all the hard work when the respondents welcome them into their houses/households and cooperate with the enumerator and give accurate information willingly. After all, they are not just merely collecting information, but are collecting valuable information required to develop sound policies and programmes aimed at fostering the welfare of the country/state and its people/our people.
The enumerator is appointed under the Census Act 1948 and he/she has the sanction of Law. This law while providing certain protection to the enumerator in discharge of legitimate duties also provide penalties if duties are not performed as per the Act.
Rights under Census Act are :
(1) To enter house/enclosure ( having regard to local customs) for census purposes (2) To paint/affix numbers on buildings for census purpose (3) To ask all such questions as printed in the Household Schedule ( Q. 1. to Q. 29. ) (4) To obtain the answers from the respondents as printed in Household Schedule.
Penalties under the Census Act are :
Appointment under the Act automatically binds the enumerator to conduct the assigned Census operations with due diligence and failure results in imposing penalties. (1)The following offences are punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees and with imprisonment which may extend to 3 years.
(a) refusing to perform any duty imposed upon a person under the Act or Census rules 1990 or obstructing another person in performing such duty (b) putting offensive or improper questions or knowingly making false returns (c) disclosing any information which she/he has received by means of, or for the purposes of, a Census return without the previous sanction of the Govt. (2) the following offences are punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees ; (a) neglecting to use reasonable diligence in performing any duty upon a person under the Census Act or Census Rules. (b) Abetting any offence under sub-section (1) of section 11 of the Census Act, 1948.
Indeed the duties of the enumerators are very important and challenging. Walking long, dusty and difficult distances, putting long hours from morning till night, knocking on each door, explaining to each head of the household and asking questions from Q1 to Q 29 and noting down all responses is not going to be easy. But the job of the enumerator will be made easier, more satisfying and rewarding and worth all the hard work when the respondents welcome them into their houses/households and cooperate with the enumerator and give accurate information willingly. After all, they are not just merely collecting information, but are collecting valuable information required to develop sound policies and programmes aimed at fostering the welfare of the country/state and its people/our people.
It is “Our Census, Our Collective Responsibility and Our Future”.
K. Ela (National Trainer Census 2011)
