HYDERABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has approved only 40 per cent of the required funds under the head of transportation in Hyderabad district in relation with the sixth census.

The finance division has made 60pc cuts in the required funds of Rs140 million for field staff’s duties and fuel expenses, it is learnt.

According to Habibullah Khan, member (censuses and surveys) PBS, the finance division has restricted the nationwide census exercise expenses to Rs14.5 billion as against the demanded funds of Rs18.5bn for phase I and II.

“The finance division felt that the charges of vehicles at Rs5,550/Rs6,500 were on the higher side. That is why they were slashed to around Rs4,600 per vehicle,” he said.

The Hyderabad civil administration had sought Rs140m from the PBS for field staff’s duties during census exercise that would continue till April for house and population counts. “Such expenses are to be utilised chiefly for transportation of teams, hiring of vehicles and fuel,” said a census official of the district.

The civil administration was given to understand that an amount of Rs69.6m is to be released by PBS for the very purpose. Eventually, an amount of Rs59.2m was released and it will be reduced further with the levy of six per cent tax, according to an official.

The district police are arranging their own transport for bringing police personnel to the dispatch centres, from where they are supposed to leave for their respective duty areas.

Due to financial constraints, one vehicle is to be used for three circles, otherwise one vehicle was to be used for each one.

“The number of HiAce vans is being reduced and that of Suzuki pick-ups increased so as to make soldiers more comfortable, given their average physique”, commented an officer.

It is also learnt that a soldier will also fill in the enumeration form designed for separate data collection.

Hyderabad police have declared 32 locations ‘sensitive’ for census purposes. Two policemen will accompany each team instead of one in all such areas, according to a police spokesman.

Arrangements

Around 500 vehicles, mainly Suzuki pick-ups, were to be hired given the geographical locations of downtown and other parts of Hyderabad district, in which such vehicles can easily move. However, the number is to be reduced to 330.

“HiAce vans are being hired separately to transport army personnel to the dispatch centres from their garrison on a daily basis. Additionally, around 16 double-cabin (Vigo) vehicles are also being hired from Karachi for army officers. The cost is expected to stand between Rs12,000 and Rs15,000 each. Army personnel will use 52 motorbikes for random patrolling.

A total of 26 centres have been set up in police stations, educational institutions, education department offices and other such government buildings. Nine of these centres have been set up for the City taluka, seven each for the Latifabad and Hyderabad rural talukas and one for the Cantonment Board Hyderabad (CBH).

From March 15 to 17, house count using form-I will be undertaken and then head count will be started using form-II. Homeless people are to be counted on April 14 and May 25.

“Each taluka in the district is being treated as a ‘district’, headed by the assistant commissioner concerned serving as the ‘census district officer (CDO)’. Deputy commissioners will act as the ‘district census coordinators (DCCs)’.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2017