By Anurjay Dhal
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has been an outstanding track record of containing natural tragedies and controlling subsequent developments, was on Friday urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reschedule the ensuing Censu-2021 and updation of National Population Register throughout the Country. The Patnaik hoped that, it would help States to focus more medical services.
Census India is scheduled to begin on the 1st of April this year and will end on the 30th of September. Census India-2021 will be conducted through a mobile phone application, moving away from the traditional pen and paper.
The BJD Boss and record serving Chief Minister of this eastern India State of Odisha, Patnaik, was perhaps the only State level leader approached the Central leadership to resehedule these two important initiatives.
Sources said in view of the outbreak COVID-19 , Patnaik wrote to the Prime Minister urging the Central government to review the decision for Census 2021 initiative & updation of National Population Register throughout the country.
He further suggested postponing the scheduled Census and related activities in the country .
Patnaik stated that the nation is fighting against the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and all efforts of State machinery are directed towards containment of COVID-19. Besides, he also stated that the mobilisation for census and other concerned activities shall pose a great risk for field functionaries and people as well.
Enumerators of the census will seek the information of the mobile number of the head of the family, information related to toilets, TV, Internet, vehicles owned, source of drinking water besides asking other questions during the house listing phase of the exercise.
