SAC Vice-Chair Dy PM Vice-Senior General Soe Win attends 1st coordination meeting of Central Census Commission

Patron of the 2024 Population and Housing Census, Central Census Commission Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win attended and addressed the first commission meeting held in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
Also present at the meeting were Chairman of Central Census Commission Union Minister U Myint Kyaing, Vice Chairman Union Minister U Win Shein, deputy ministers and officials.
In his speech, the Vice-Senior General said the development of a nation can be known with their socioeconomic statistics and so the exact figures play a key role for that sector. The statistics are also described as the mirror of a country as it reflects its development. The population figures which is used in drafting the policies and projects to ensure the proportionate development in social, economy and management sectors of a nation can be received only from the census.
One unique feature of a census is that it can provide information down to the lowest administrative level. Such information is vital for planning and evidence-based decision-making at every level.
Additional data uses include allocation of national resources; budget; the review of administrative boundaries; the positioning of social infrastructures such as schools, health facilities and roads; and research. The census is also essential thing to the country to collect the data set by UNFPA regarding the individual to family, wards and villages, urban city, state and region to State level.
The Vice-Senior General also highlighted the census history which took in Myanmar for eight times – in 1872, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911, 1921, 1931 and 1941, still using census data, 1881 census report and other census collected in the country, weaknesses for using socioeconomic data including population based on 1983 records while the country could not conduct census collection for 30 years after 1983, 2014 Population and Housing Census conducted in the term of Former President U Thein Sein and 2019 Interim Census.
The Vice-Senior General also added that most of the international countries conduct census collection once every ten years for high expenses. The annual world population record depending on the average population increase and decrease can offer certain statistics of political, economy, defence and social although there is no exact population of some countries in the world. Therefore, it was estimated that the world population would be about 7 billion in 2011 and about 8 billion in 2022-2023 from about 6 billion of population in 1999. Therefore, collecting census is a must and the population will be collected in 2024 after 10 years of 2014 Census.
The Central Census Commission was also formed with Notification No 115/2022 on 27-6-2022 in accord with 2013 Population and Housing Census Law to conduct nation-wide population and housing census collection in 2024.
For the emergence of a disciplined and genuine multiparty democratic system and Union based on democracy and federal system, especially, the census is a must to achieve exact population and socioeconomic situation to the lowest administrative level. Moreover, it is needed to draft the recovery plans and review the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the SAC permitted to collect population and housing census in 2024 and it should be carried out as a national task.
He then stressed the objectives of collecting population and housing census in 2024 and called on the departmental organizations and citizens to participate in that processes as it is concerned with the government, ministries, regions/states governments and all people of the country.
Then, the Commission Chairman Union Minister for Immigration and Population U Myint Kyaing explained the processes of 2024 population and housing census.
Afterwards, Secretary (1) and Vice-Chairman of Commission, deputy ministers and officials discussed their respective sectors for collecting 2024 population and housing census.
The Vice-Senior General stressed the necessary things after the Director-General of Population Department sought the approvals for decisions. — MNA/KTZH