Sri Lanka 2011 Census of Population & Housing Gets Underway

05th April 2011, www.colombopage.com, Photos By Chandana Perera

Sri Lanka today launched the 2011 Census of Population and Housing with Grama Niladaris (Village Officers) affixing a Census label on each dwelling in the country. Accordingly, Colombo Fort - Pettah Grama Niladari Chaminda Caldera listed Sri Lanka President's Official residence in Colombo, Fort as No 001.

The 14th comprehensive census enumeration of population and housing launched today after achieving peace in 2009 will be covering the whole island for the first time in 30 years.

Sri Lanka has been conducting census every ten years since 187. However the last complete census was conducted in 1981 and the census scheduled for 1991 was not conducted due to the ethnic unrest in Northern and Eastern provinces. The 2001 census was carried out in 18 out of the 25 district.

The Director General of the Census and Statistics Department says that around 1.4 billion rupees are expected to be spent on the census, which is to be conducted using latest technology.

Sri Lanka expects its population to grow by about 222,000 every year to an optimum of about 24 million by 2041. Sri Lanka's current population is 20.6 million.

The census would give valuable information on demographic and other related characteristics, useful to planners, policy makers, administrators, researchers, and other data users, the government says.

The government asks the general public to assist the Department of Census and Statistics by allowing Grama Niladari or any other authorized officer to affix the label either on the frame of the front door or in any other prominent place near the front door and not remove it until the end of the year.

Authorities emphasized that the reliability and accuracy of statistical data will depend entirely on the accuracy of the information provided by the general public.

Image: Director General of Census and Statistics Department, Mrs. D. B. P. Suranjana Vidyaratne is seen here explaining the procedure to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the presence of District Secretary of Colombo Somapala Hapuarachchi and several other officials of the Department.

Related Info :

• Sri Lanka's First Post War Year Achieves GDP Growth Rate of 8pct. 2009 only 3.5pct. Highest Ever Achieved Since Independence was 8.2pct in 1968 & 1978