2nd phase Census drive to begin from Feb 9

IMPHAL Feb 7: The second phase of the population enumeration 2011 will begin from February 9 and will conclude on February 28 , announced  SK Chakraborty , Deputy Director General of National Population Registrar in a press conference held at Classic Hotel today.
He also unveiled the mascot of the census enumerators and said the census drive is the largest administrative exercise in the world which will be carried out under the theme “Our census, our future”.
The census report is the biggest source of comprehensive data on demography, literacy and education, housing etc and policy preparation and implementation are based on census reports, Chakraborty said while explaining the nuances of the drive. “We appeal to the public to extend full cooperation to the enumerators so that the actual statistics can be recorded and put to use for the benefit of the masses”, he added.
Chakraborty stated that , as a part of creating awareness to the public about the census drive , a sum of  ten lacs have been given to All Manipur Football Association to host district wise tournaments and the said football matches are going on at present.
Census Operation Director of the state Y Thamkishore stated that 7,000 enumerators along with supervisors will be deployed for Census 2011 in the state and more than 2 crores have been sanctioned for the drive.
He further stated that with the objective to improve planning and strengthening security of the country ,a new project called the National Population Register is introduced which will register citizens for issuing National Identity Cards.
The card which has a 64 megabyte memory chip will contain the description and vital statistics and will have a biometrics signature imprinted after collecting photograph, finger print and Iris (verification of the eye) for residents aged 5 years and above.
Replying a query from the media whether the proposed census drive will be successful as the teachers who are supposed to be the enumerators are on strike at present, Thamkishore said that the teachers are attending the training program for the census and voiced confidence that the census drive will be a smooth one.