Island wide census

16 May 2011 10:15 am

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

The first national census to be taken island wide after almost three decades will be used as the official data on demographic, social and population and the living pattern of Sri Lankans for the next decade, a senior official of the Census and Statistics Department said. 

The most comprehensive and full census taken by the Census and Statistics Department (CSD)after 30 years will reflect the complete demographic, human, social and economic data of Sri Lanka and the first release of census information after the completion of the census in 25 districts by end of  2011.

Director, in charge of the national census, H.R.Gunasekara said the census after completion will be treated as official information of Sri Lanka on population, demographic pattern, social, health and living standard, literacy and IT literacy rate, education, housing, industries, and agriculture.

“The census will be taken in three stages, mapping, and the listing of buildings and enumeration of the population. The first stage has already been completed and the second stage, listing of all private and public buildings is in progress. The third and last stage , gathering information of households and living standard of the people will be completed in a few weeks,” Mr. Gunasekara said.

He added that some 14,000 Grama Niladaris will gather information visiting house by house with the assistance of enumerators employed by District Secretaries. One enumerator will be entrusted to gather information on about 150 houses. There will be around 65,000 in addition to Grama Niladaris to complete the census, he said.

Information on IT literacy, condition of the house and facilities available in the house, information on water supply and lavatory facilities will be included on the household information, he added.

Mr. Gunasekara appealed to the public to inform the nearest Divisional Secretariat or Grama Niladari if the red label has not been fixed on the main door frame of the as the red label is an indicator that the household has been listed for data collection for the census.

He said the results of the census will be issued by step by from August this year.