Publicity garners good response for Census

The support of outreach activities, publicity efforts and advertising campaigns were enlisted by the Census to make sure its knock on the country's door was both heard and answered.

The recently concluded Population Enumeration Phase of the 15th Census made heavy use of promotion techniques that helped spread its cause to the people.

From out-of-home advertising (OOH), TV advertisements, print and radio spots to local events like one held on Valentine's Day in Delhi, the Census effort tried to garner as much attention as it could.

“When we started this campaign we thought that enumerators should be welcomed. Importance should be given to the person who is an enumerator,” Mr Chinmoy Chakravorty, Consultant to Registrar General of India, told PTI.

Raising awareness about enumerators, the foot-soldiers who collected data, removing apprehensions, tackling sensitive issues such as disability and taking Census closer to the people were some areas that were targeted.

The focus was on “different sections of the society”, with details of youth, elderly, disabled and women having special mention in the effort.

“This time the awareness was far higher than in the first round (House Listing or the preparatory phase that was held last year).

“Enumerators on the whole have been welcomed into houses and they have had a far better response than last time,” Ms Varsha Joshi, Director of Census Operations in Delhi, said on how awareness-building helped.

The publicity campaign in 12 languages at the national level was initiated from almost a week before February 9 and carried on till February 28 with local outreach activities at the States level also engaging people, Mr Chakravarty said.

Unconventional tools like nukkad nataks (street plays) were held in Delhi's unauthorised colonies and urban villages while tricycle roadshows were held by differently-abled people who distributed pamphlets and answered questions posed by residents of colonies on the topic.

Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra were also roped in as “icons” to create visibility and retention among people.

The Census registered its presence on the Internet, using social media, as well.

The 14,286 users have pressed the ‘Like' tab on its Facebook group from 269 votes in late January, when the group was launched. Twitter, blogs, Web site links have also been used to encourage the effort.

The second phase was held all over the country from February 9 to February 28. The preliminary result of the Census will be given by the end of March.

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