GB govt asked to provide “Computer literate trainers, enumerators for 7th digital census”
GILGIT: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) conducted a workshop for government functionaries to ‘sensitize’ them about the upcoming national, digital, census.
The upcoming census is being heralded as one of the biggest ‘digital data collection’ activity ever conducted in Pakistan and therefore provincial governments, including GB govt, have been asked to provide ‘computer literate trainers and enumerators’ for the activity.
The event was part of a series of workshops already conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar and AJK.
“These workshops covered the tools, techniques, methodology and actions to be taken by provinces for smooth execution of the upcoming census. Keeping in view the purpose of the workshops Chief Secretaries, relevant secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and other provincial functionaries were invited to these workshops. Therefore, the workshops not only brought clarity in role of provinces in census process but were useful for confidence building of provinces. As, the provincial functionaries will join hands with PBS in field enumeration and census monitoring”, according to a press release shared by PBS.
In his welcoming address, Chief Statistician PBS, Dr. Naeem uz Zafar, gave the background and introduction of Census. He highlighted importance of census with the role of provinces in its success. He informed the participants that the provinces are significant stake holders having key role of planning, training, implementation, and monitoring in the census, whereas, PBS will coordinate and facilitate the smooth and transparent conduct of census.
Member (Support Services/ Resource Management) PBS, Mr. Muhammad Sarwar Gondal gave a detailed presentation on forthcoming census, especially in terms of digital conduct of census. He told the audience about the function of several levels of provincial administration throughout the census process. He underlined that the provincial government must provide computer literate trainers and enumerators for the digital census.
During Question answer session, officials from PBS responded to queries and comments by participants in detail and participants showed satisfaction over the replies and assured their full cooperation during all phases of census.
Mr. Iqbal Hussain, Secretary Home and Prisons Gilgit-Baltistan, who attended the workshop on behalf of Chief Secretary GB, during his speech appreciated the professional approach of PBS regarding the strategy adopted for confidence building of stakeholders. He said that the upcoming census will be the biggest digital activity of Pakistan. All the relevant persons are in loop and PBS and GB Government will work together to make this activity successful. He also appreciated the approach of using social media handles by PBS and considered it to be the best way to sensitize youth. He admired that PBS has already addressed the shortcomings of last census and surely those will not be repeated and correct information will be gathered and compiled for evidence based policy making. Dashboards will be very helpful for monitoring of activities and to bring transparency in process. He further directed DCs for establishment of Census Support Centres near their offices and to cooperate for successful conduct of activity. He further instructed DCs to engaged competent and IT literate staff for enumeration and trainings and try to avoid their transfers during census process specially the persons provided by education department. He suggested to conduct another workshop near Pilot Census.
In the end, Chief Statistician thanked all the guests for active participation and commitment for census.
