IT turnkey solution to be used in digital census

ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) will prepare a digital census solution for the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), which will ensure precision and accuracy of population data in a minimum timeframe.

With preparation of the digital census solution, the digital census will be carried out across the country through an IT turnkey solution on android-based smart devices. In this regard, the Nadra and the PBS signed a contract here at the PBS Headquarters, Islamabad, on Monday. Federal Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal was present on the occasion.

The Council of Common Interest (CCI) has proposed conducting the upcoming census, adopting modern technologies and digital tools. As per recommendations, the PBS approached the Nadra to present a comprehensive technical proposal for carrying out the first-ever digital census in the country in 2022.

Talking to media, Ahsan Iqbal appreciated the Nadra role in Pakistan’s first complete digital census. He hoped that with the new digital system, the bureau would provide the census results to the Election Commission of Pakistan in a timely manner, as a result of which the commission would be able to make new delimitation of constituencies. He said the digital system developed by the Nadra would ensure transparency and accountability of enumerators and supervisors.

Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik said an accurate census was critical to Pakistan’s democracy and economy. The decision to conduct Pakistan’s first-ever digital census reflected a consensus on a transparent census without any prejudice. The Nadra was a natural technology partner of such national initiatives that demand transparency.

Giving details about the conduction of the digital census, Malik apprised that the Nadra was a leading system integrator and trailblazer in the global IT industry and had devised an exclusive complete turnkey solution for carrying out the digital census. He said the solution included development and deployment of android-based house listings and enumeration application synchronized with global positioning system (GPS) and geographical information system (GIS), data centre services, call centre services, establishment of technical support centres at Tehsil level along with online web portal for the general public with other allied services.

The Nadra chairman said the proposed exclusive turnkey solution would be applied to 628 Tehsils and approximately 200,000 census blocks by mapping census operations through global positioning system.