Census 2011 begins in Sikkim with Governor becoming the first resident to be enumerated

A Census enumerator calls on Governor BP Singh at his winter camp in
Rangpo to launch the Census 2011 in Sikkim on 09 Feb  

RANGPO, 09 Feb: The second and final phase of Census 2011 began today with the Governor of Sikkim, BP Singh, being the first person to be listed by the enumerators who called on him here at his winter residence in Rangpo.
Speaking to media-persons today, the Governor shared that his link with the Census of India has been very long and old. “The Census of India is a very true and proper verification of a person, it gives the person’s true information,” he said, adding that the task of an enumerator was very important as they are the persons who have to go to each and every house and get the details.
He further shared that he also found archives of the 1901 Census in Sikkim which have been kept in the Culture and Heritage Department in Gangtok. Commenting that he had gone through the 1901 Census, the first for Sikkim, he said that he was very happy that such records have been preserved.
Director, Directorate of Census Operations, Sikkim, Bhagwan Shankar, informed today that this was the second phase of the 2011 Census [under the theme ‘Our Census, Our Future’] being held in Sikkim from 09 to 28 February.
The enumerators will be going from house to house to record each and every person’s proper verification [and this even includes outsiders and foreigners who are residing in Sikkim], so that the true picture of the population can be brought forth, he said.
There are a total of 24 questions in the questionnaire which need to be filled out and these record all details of a person- name, age, educational qualification, sex [this time there is a third gender too].
“We should be able to give the preliminary finding of the Census by the end of March, this year,” he said.
[AMEET OBEROI]