Rs 2,200 cr census a "treasure house" of info: PM

Terming the census data as a "treasure house" of information, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said it will help the Government plan its development work.  

Singh, who was enumerated for the Census here, requested each citizen to participate in the national endeavour and ensure that every person is included in an exercise that will be spread over two phases and is expected to cost the government Rs 2,200 crore.  

"This enumeration will constitute a treasure house of information for planning our development work," he said.  

He said the Census of India is the most massive operation for compiling statistics anywhere in the world.

"Some of this data forms an important base for planning the level of our economic and social activities and it constitutes an important input in the processes of planning and development."  

The biggest Census exercise ever to be attempted in human history to cover India's 1.2 billion population began on April one with President Pratibha Patil being the first to be enumerated in the decennial exercise.

The 15th National Census, which will see over 2.5 million officials capturing the socio-economic-cultural profile of its citizens, will also seek information for the creation of the National Population Register.