One billion… and one
on bhawanipatna blog (India), 02/May/2010 18:13, 34 days ago
I had read in the papers that India was starting its national census and had thought it must be a bit like painting the Forth Road Bridge– by the time you have finished counting what is around 1 billion people you would have start the process again - if not before. Do they count the seasonal migrants who are often taken illegally under duress to work in isolated brick factories hundreds of kilometres from where they live? What about the people Antodaya supports many of whom live in remote areas that are only accessible on foot and who, being illiterate, can hardly be sent a form to fill in? The homeless? The beggars who basically live on the trains? Does this affect the amount of money allocated to these vulnerable groups?The scale and complexities were mind boggling. It was only a passing thought, however, until this evening when Lara, the young girl from downstairs, arrived at my door accompanied by a government official – they had started the counting in Bhawanipatna and, as a legal alien, I was to be included. The form was in Oriya and the official didn't speak that much English but with Lara acting as translator we muddled our way through. They wanted the normal stuff – name, occupation, date of birth etc but also my address in the UK – what would I have said if I didn't have one? – and my father's, mother's and husband's name – her pen hovered hesitantly over the appropriate box when Lara told her I didn't have a husband – "No, not even a dead one". Dad's name was underlined by way of compensation. Apparently my answers have to be transcribed into Oriya before I sign it. I'm mildly interested in what my name looks like in Oriya although I'll have no idea what I'm actually signing of course but whatever it says, I'm now officially in the system – my name and details, as well as Mum and Dad's but minus hubby's, will be winging their way into the bowels of Indian bureaucratic system. At sometime in the distant future when they announce the final tally - it's expected to be over billion … plus me.