ECONOMIC CENSUS INTRODUCTION

The efficient formulation, implementation and evaluation of any sectoral Planning Scheme depend on reliable data base, preferably defined at lower level. Lack of adequate data on the characteristics and performance of virtually entire sectors of trade and construction and the un-organised segments of other sectors had been a very serious handicap in developmental planning and estimation of National / State Income. The growing importance of un-organised sector in the process of economic development of the country like India need not be over emphasised. This sector with high degree of elasticity in employment generation is ideally suited for the populated country like India. With a view to filling up this vital gap in statistical information, a country wide integrated Scheme of Economic Census and surveys had become imperative to ascertain the structure, activities and performance of un-organised sectors.

Considering the necessity and importance of constructing the sample frame for the un-organised sectors, a scheme of Economic Census and Surveys was launched by the Central Statistical Organisation in 1976. Since then, the Central Statistical Organisation has conducted four Economic Censuses in the years 1977, 1980, 1990 and 1998.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ECONOMIC CENSUS

The main purpose of conducting Economic Census is to generate an updated frame of enterprises for detailed follow up surveys which mainly provide data for compilation of estimates of National Income from the un-organised sector. The result of Economic Census also provide basic entrepreneurial data on number of enterprises and employment therein relating to different sectors of the economy for the purpose of planning, development etc.

PREVIOUS ECONOMIC CENSUS

The first Economic Census was conducted in India in 1977. The coverage was confined to non-agricultural establishments. The census did not cover own-account and agricultural enterprises.

The second and third Economic Census were clubbed with the house listing operation of population census conducted in 1980 and 1990 respectively keeping in view the operational convenience and cost effectiveness. These censuses had wider scope and coverage than that of the first one. Both own account enterprises and establishments, agricultural and non-agricultural enterprises were covered. The items on which information was collected under these Economic Censuses were more or less the same as those collected in the first Economic Census. In view of the necessity and importance of constructing the sample frame for the unorganised segments, Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), Government of India, launched a Central plan scheme of 4th Economic Census during 1998. Elaborate details of both own account enterprises and establishments, agricultural and non-agricultural enterprises were collected during 4th Economic Census.

The Fifth Economic Census was conducted between April 2005 and June 2005. The following new feature had been added during the fifth Economic Census (i) canvassing of separate "Address slip" among the enterprises employing 10 or more workers for compilation of a Directory of larger enterprises. (ii) Intelligent character Recognition (ICR) technology is adopted for the first time in the Census. Using this technology all schedules were scanned and processed using the infrastructure available at the office of the Registrar General of India, Chennai.