Ignorance of census harmful to people

The Statesman, March 26, 2007
Statesman News Service

Bhawanipatna, March 25: The widespread ignorance of the lower class regarding the census and its effect on their social awareness and future planning can be seen in the census report of 2001. A report regarding child marriage in Kalahandi reveals 854 girls within the age group of 10 to 14 years were married and 95 of them were widows already. In the neighbouring Nuapada district again 293 girls of the same age group were married while 23 out of them were widows.
According to the census 2001, 42 per cent children between the ages 5 and 14 in Kalahandi and 46 per cent in Nuapada district did not attend school.
These facts was revealed in the workshop on “Comparative Demographic Trend of Kalahandi and Nuapada district with Orissa: Census 2001” organised today by the Census Directorate Orissa. The participants were sharp in pointing out that many of the vital statistics and disseminated demographic facts of the census do not reach ground level on time and when they do at a delayed stage they are part of history or only for academic interest. Some mechanism should be devised to enable the details of the census to reach the authorities on times so that proper planning can be undertaken in future, the participants said.
The workshop was presided by the collector of Kalahandi Mr NBS Rajput. Mr D Behera the deputy director census directorate Orissa and his collegues explained the different aspects of the Census ~ 2001 which will sensitise public and help in future planning.