Centre may queer the pitch for BPL census

BHUBANESWAR: With no communication from the Centre about the delivery of hand-held devices for conducting the first-ever socio-economic caste census (SECC) for selection of BPL families, the State Government is apprehensive about completion of the survey before the model code of conduct comes into force. ‘’The State Government is keen to complete the field survey by December 15, otherwise the imposition of the model code of conduct for election to the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) may derail the entire  census work,’’ Panchayati Raj Secretary PK Jena said in a letter to Union Rural Development Secretary BK Sinha. It is a matter of concern as the State has not received any confirmation on the delivery of hand-held devices for enumeration from the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), the nodal agency for delivery of devices and recruitment of data entry operators, however, intimated that the last consignment of hand-held electronic devices is likely to reach the State on September 7, the letter noted.The Central PSU has further indicated that a minimum of 15 days will be required to deploy, test and catalogue the devices at the charge centres. Besides, it has expressed its inability to deploy the data entry operators at the charge centres before September 10. The State Government would require at least three weeks for imparting training to the enumerators and the supervisors along with the data entry operators.   ‘’If the deployment of the data entry operators is delayed, it will have a cascading effect on the entire process of the census,’’ Jena said adding, another seven to 10 days would be required after the training for mobilisation of officials for field works. Similar concerns were expressed by several states during the video conferencing held on August 18 with the Union Secretary, he reminded. Jena urged the Union Secretary to take necessary measures for timely delivery of consignment and positioning of data entry operators. The Centre must also ensure that the software uploaded in the hand-held devices for collection of data is foolproof so that the State could complete the field survey by December 15. Meanwhile, the Government has completed preliminary activities like identification of enumerators, master trainers, consignee officers and nodal officers for each district.