Biometric data collection receives little response due to poor publicity
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 16 2011: The biometric data collection which includes photographs, fingerprints and iris prints under the ongoing National Population Registration (NPR) as part of Census 2011 received a poor response from the people allegedly due to lack of proper awareness programmes and publicity on the part of the authority concerned.

A clear example was the poor turn out of people at the Keirao Bitra SDC office of Imphal East district where the collection of biometric data for the Uchekon Khunou and Kalika Khul started from yesterday, April 15 .

A notification of the concerned SDC informed that the collection of biometric data in respect of the two villages will be conducted from April 15 to 18.But on the first day yesterday, no one turned up in the SDC's office for the purpose.

But, after a publicity campaign was conducted, 58 people of the two villages turned up at the office.

Apart from lack of spreading proper awareness to the people, officials deputed for the purpose also seemed to be disinterested in discharging their duties.

As per the order of the Keirao Bitra SDC, two revenue officers, Ksh Okay and Md Rahidur Rehman were deputed for overlooking the biometric data collection process for Uchekon Khunou and SK Bhuwalnu and L Birchandra for the same process at Irilbung High School.

The revenue officers arrived at their places of duty on time to overlook the data collection which was to be started from 10 am but officials who were to collect photographs, fingerprints and iris prints of the people did not turn up till noon.

As a result most of the people who turned at the Irilbung High School went back home unable to wait for the officials.

The National Population Registration (NPR) has been under launched in the state recently under the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

It is under the Registrar General of India that the NPR exercises the 2011 census and are collecting the biometrics data as well.

The first phase of NPR includes collection of basic information of an individual.

In the second phase will be the collection of the biometrics data.

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