The decennial population and housing census commenced at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. The Presidential Secretariat was the first edifice to be catalogued in this census.
This year’s census will see fusion of modern technology with conventional paper documents for data collection. The deployment of tablet computers, Internet connectivity and geo-spatial technologies is a standout feature. This method, known as Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI), is being employed for the first time.
Sri Lanka’s Population and Housing Census is conducted every ten years and is overseen by the Census and Statistics Department.The previous census took place in 2012.
Interestingly, the inaugural legally mandated census in Sri Lanka was on March 27, 1871, marking a pioneering scientific endeavour among South Asian nations.
The Population and Housing Census is a vital source of data for shaping national policies, public administration and understanding demographics, ethnic distribution and other social characteristics. The census encompasses housing information at the village official division level. This comprehensive undertaking includes assigning a unique number to every building and obtaining GPS coordinates for each structure. Additionally, it results in digitised maps at the village official division level.
President’s Senior Additional Secretary W.A.Sarath Kumara, Colombo District Secretary K. G. Wijesiri and Census and Statistics Department Director General P.M.P. Anura Kumara were present.
