Port Blair, Dec. 27: The Director of Census Operations, N K Sharma has called upon the media and NGOs to give wide publicity among the general public and the data users about the released census data on various categories, so that they can use it for various purposes. 

Inaugurating the two day sensitization workshop on Census Data Dissemination held at BRAIT, Dollygunj this morning Sharma said, “The Census is the bank of data. It is beneficial for different developmental activities of the government and other agencies”.

He said that the Census data collected are vital for the planning for development at various levels. The biggest administrative exercise of the world, the Indian Census was started way back in 1872 and the present census is the 15th in the series. However, the Census works got started in the islands only in the year 1901 and hence it is the 12th one in the A & N islands.

He further informed that the house listing data on houses and house hold amenities was released by the directorate in February this year, followed by the release of provisional population totals – rural and urban distribution.

Sharma also revealed that the finalization of Census 2011 pertaining to these islands is in process and it will be released very soon along with the other states and UTs of the Country. 

Dr S C Chathurvedi, Associate Professor of Geography, JNRM College in his power point presentation revealed many interesting data on these islands. He said the total population of the islands as per the 2011 census is 379944, comprising 202330 males and 177614 females. He also informed that the islands recorded a remarkable literacy rate of 86.27%  which is much higher than the national average of 70.04%.

Briefing on the remarkable achievements made in different fields such as provisions of infrastructure and basis amenities across the islands, he said the administration provided electricity connections to 86.3% households, whereas more than 89 % households use banking facilities.  The increase in the usage of banking services is due to the government‘s directions to disburse the payments under developmental programmes such as MGNREGA, Pension Payments etc. through the banks only, he added.

He also made a mention that safe drinking water is provided to 85 % population of these islands. 

Earlier, the Deputy Director of Census Operations, Yesodharan briefed on the Census 2011 operations carried out across the islands.  He informed that the challenging task population census has been conducted in the islands in two phases as House listing and Population enumeration. The first result of 2011 census was released on 31st March, 2011 as paper 1 of 2011.

A number of representatives from the NGOs, officials from various departments and media persons had attended the workshop.