LAHORE: The Punjab government has begun digital census process, targeting its completion by April — the month Election Commission of Pakistan has scheduled local government elections in the province.

As a pilot project the digital census has successfully been completed in 33 districts of the country.

The Provincial Census Coordination Committee, headed by Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal, met at civil secretariat on Wednesday and instructed relevant officials to complete measures related to training of master trainers, trainers and field staff and security. Some 61,000 field staff members are being drawn from the education department.

Mr Sumbal directed the deputy commissioners to immediately provide the facilities needed for the training of field staff for the census in districts.

The Punjab government will be required to ensure digital equipment, dedicated portal with a QR code and stable internet when the field staff would be conducting the digital census on ground. While training of 328 master trainers has been completed, the chief secretary asked the officials concerned to complete the training of everyone by Jan 21, followed by field work for census.

Punjab Chief Economist Ali Bahadur has been given additional charge of the provincial census commissioner. Divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners will be heading the census coordination committees at divisional and district level.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2022