SEC Census 2011 to be completed by Jan

New Delhi: The government today said that the socio-economic census, which will be used to identify beneficiaries of various schemes, is expected to be completed by January 2012. “The Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC), 2011, is being carried out in all the states/union territories in a phased manner taking into consideration their preparedness… and expected to be completed by January 2012,” Minister of State for Planning Ashwani Kumar said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. To facilitate the preparation of a new Below Poverty Line (BPL) list, the Ministry of Rural Development had asked all states and UTs to conduct a combined census — SECC 2011 — in connection with identification of BPL households and caste census. [caption id=“attachment_150167” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Ministry of Rural Development had asked all states and UTs to conduct a combined census. Reuters”]  [/caption] “The data collected through this exercise is to be used to identify the prospective beneficiaries under various schemes and programmes based on deprivations. This will be done after consultation with states, experts and civil society organisations or arrive as a concensus on the methodology of targeting beneficiaries by the SECC 2011,” Kumar said. He said that while the Planning Commission, as the nodal agency of the Union government, has been estimating the number and percentage of poor at national and state levels, the states and UTs identify BPL families which are to be included under various schemes and programmes. The government and the Planning Commission had earlier this year come under flak for suggesting Rs 32 and Rs 26 per day as the poverty lines for the urban and rural areas respectively. PTI