The task of counting and profiling Gujarat’s estimated 5.5 crore people will begin on 21st of April this year with Governor Dr. Kamla Beniwal and Chief Minister Narendra Modi as first two citizens to be enumerated.

Census officials will visit the Raj Bhavan and Chief Minister and collect their details , a symbolic inauguration of the process to count and create a data base of citizens.

This time there will be a separate sheet to collect data for NPR which will pave way for the unique identification number project. Also, for the first time fingerprints and photographs of individuals will be collected to help government formulate plans to strengthen country’s security. Another first will be collection on information on the ownership of mobile phones, computers, internet, having treated or untreated drinking water facility. The last census was conducted in 2001, when such parameters were not included.

The 1.5 lakh teachers who will be the enumerators for the survey will be given a remuneration of Rs 8,500. Each teacher is assigned 120-150 houses.

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The gigantic exercise of the Census 2011, which is the 15th headcount of India’s population since 1872, is being undertaken in two phases to create a database on demography, economic activity, literacy and education, housing and household amenities, urbanisation, fertility and mortality, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, language, religion and migration.

The census is an important exercise that compiles the socio-economic indicators of people. For the first time, officials would step beyond the demographics and economic activity and would collect details, including ownership of mobile phones, computers, internet, and availability of treated or untreated drinking water facility.

Countrywide, over the next year, some 2.5 million census officials will visit households in more than 7,000 towns and 600,000 villages.

They will first begin the process of house listing, which records information on homes. The headcount of people will take place from Feb 9-28, 2011. The full census results will be released in mid-2011.

The census 2011, which will cost the government Rs.2,209 crore, is also important as as the government also intends to create the National Population Register (NPR), a comprehensive identity database that will facilitate the creation of a biometrics-based identity system in the country, allowing identity cards for all citizens above 15.

The census is the only source of credible data base in India that the government uses to formulate its policies. The data is also used for research by private companies to identify markets for their products.

The entire exercise is being done under statutory provisions of the Census Act, 1948. And if anyone fails to cooperate, the person can be fined or punished.

Around 12,000 tonnes of paper is being utilised for printing 64 crore census forms and 50 lakh instruction manuals. The census forms are printed in 16 languages and the instruction manuals in 18.