Why in News?

•  For the first time in the 140 years long Census exercise in India, data is proposed to be collected through a mobile app.

Highlights:

•  The data users conference is the first formal interaction of the census organization with various stakeholders. The two-day conference is expected to have intensive deliberations on the proposed Strategy and the draft Questionnaire for the 2021 Census.
•  The results of deliberations will form the basis for finalizing the questions and the methodology for the census.
•  enumerators would be encouraged to use their own mobile phone for which they would be paid appropriate remuneration or else there is also option to collect and record the data through paper schedules which will eventually be submitted electronically by them.
• 33 lakh enumerators would be mobilized for data collection for which notification has already been issued.
•  The reference date is 1st October 2020 for Jammu & Kashmir and snowbound areas of Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand while for the rest of the country the reference date is 1st March 2021.
•  Census is not just an exercise of headcount but also provides invaluable socio-economic data which forms a credible basis for informed policy formulation and allocation of resources. The changing demographics and socio-economic parameters reflected by the census helps in the reformulation of the country’s plans for the economic development and welfare schemes for its people.
•  Besides, census data caters to the Constitutional requirement of delimitation of constituencies and reservation of seats for SCs & STs, Union Home Secretary said.