Census conducts digital survey of metros

You can now know all the minute details of your city. To collect accurate data for Census 2011, the Survey of India and the Census of India is conducting a digital survey of 35 major cities across the country.

You can now know all the minute details of your city. To collect accurate data for Census 2011, the Survey of India and the Census of India is conducting a digital survey of 35 major cities across the country. Since the digital maps will carry detailed information about each household in a city, these will provide proper estimate for the Census.

Dr Prithvish Nag, Surveyor General, Survey of India, told The Indian Express: 8220; Besides providing information related to population, the data will also be helpful for conducting research in various fields. Presently, the survey is going on in 35 major cities of the country. Later, we may conduct it in smaller towns also.8221; He, however, added that for any data to be useful in future it must be regularly updated.

8220;The purpose of satellite mapping is to ensure complete coverage for the Census 2011. We want accurate details. We are holding talks with various states in this regard,8221; said a senior official of Census of India.

After the data is digitally mapped for the Census, it will also be made available to the public. One can access details like the number of members residing in a house, name of the house owner, whether the house is single-storeyed or double or kutcha or pucca.

By providing an accurate picture of the city, the digital mapping will prove to be an essential tool for assessing the framework of urban areas and providing proper identification of their denizens. The geographical limit of a city will be marked, its population will be accurately assessed, and individual houses can be tracked.Digitisation will ensure that there will be no omission or duplication of data.

At present, the survey is going on in Lucknow. 8220;We asked the Lucknow Municipal Corporation to depute their tax officials of each ward for collection of the data. Since we have to complete the work by December 31 and there has been no word from the civic body yet, we are planning to rope in more people to meet the deadline,8221; said Pradeep Kumar, Deputy Director, Mapping Department, Directorate of Census.