E-census kick-start from Raj Bhavan

SHILLONG, JUNE 17: The Economic Census team of the Directorate of Economics & Statistics visited the residence of the Meghalaya governor RS Mooshahary for the Sixth Economic Census at Raj Bhavan on Monday.

The Economic Census enumeration team led by Arnel Marbaniang, Director of Economics and Statistics, briefed Mooshahary on the importance of the census and also conducted the enumeration wherein the first citizen of the state gave information for filling up of the Economic Census schedule.

Under the Collection of Statistics Act 2008, the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, in collaboration with the Central Statistics Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation is conducting the VI Economic Census in Meghalaya during the of June–July 2013.

The Economic Census is the official count of all the establishments located within the geographical boundaries of the country and is a gigantic exercise carried out in all the states and UT’s in which all establishments both household and non-household in private and public sector will be covered.

So far, 5 (five) such Economic Census have been conducted in the country during 1977, 1980, 1990 and 2005. The census data has provided a database for undertaking follow up surveys by National Sample Survey Office, Govt. of India and other Government and non-government agencies to study the structure and composition of the various industrial sectors and their contribution.

The Economic Census is conducted quinquennially and currently is the sixth in the series. The data collected through the economic census will be of immense use for improving the database of the state economy and also the country’s as a whole for micro level planning and policy formulation with respect to various economic activities. In this census, establishments located in a house, markets, industrial areas etc. will be covered without exception both registered and un-registered. Further establishments of mobile vendors will also be capture in the census at their residents and others at fixed location.

With the growing importance of service sector the necessity for reliable and timely data pertaining to various sectors including the service sector at regular interval has assumed great importance due to its significance contribution towards the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is the basic necessity for any sound and systematic planning. The availability of detailed information preferably at micro level is the key to effective planning.

Statistics in respect of organized segments of non-agricultural economy are being collected regularly but it is not so in respect of unorganized sectors and even though unorganized sectors assumes great importance due to its significant importance towards GDP and also in generation of employment.

Economic Census would be beneficial in providing basic data for the purpose of planning, development, administration. The results of the VI Economic Census would also provide the sampling frame for follow up surveys through different Socio Economic Surveys.

Besides, it will enhance the reliability and accuracy for the estimation of State GDP and related aggregates and also to fill the data gap in the unorganized sector of the economy.

Altogether, 3083 Enumerators and 1541 Supervisors are being engaged throughout the state for the whole Exercises by utilizing the services of unemployed youth, etc.- By Our Reporter