Let's come in large numbers

The autumn census will help determine the number of Moscow residents

Moscow authorities hope that during the All-Russian Population Census in October 2002 they will be able to obtain true information about the residents of the capital and adjust a number of city programs based on it. In particular, a new transport policy and housing construction strategy will be built on the basis of the data obtained. In addition, the mayor's office is interested in information about the labor resources in the city, about the share in the population structure of low-income citizens who need benefits and support. It is possible that after processing the census results, more than 60 target programs and even the master plan for the development of Moscow itself will have to be adjusted. All this was announced yesterday at a press conference by the head of the city commission for the 2002 population census, Anatoly Petrov.

Moreover, the capital’s authorities are willing to pay dearly for such interesting information. According to Mr. Petrov, more than 379 million rubles will be allocated from the city budget for activities related to the census. The census itself in Moscow will last a whole week, from October 9 to 16, which, by the way, is already being reported in advertisements that have appeared in a number of residential areas. Anatoly Petrov, who for the first time, by the way, demonstrated the questionnaire form recently approved by the federal government, expressed hope that the townspeople will be able to overcome their mistrust of the state and share their most secret things with the census takers. “The conversation will take place face to face, and the census forms will be anonymous,” Mr. Petrov assured once again on behalf of the authorities. The authorities are inviting Muscovites who do not want to allow strangers into their apartments to census sites - more than 650 such survey points have already been created in various parts of the city, and by the fall they should appear in every microdistrict. It will be possible to fill out the census form in the most crowded parts of the city - the census organizers intend to take into account the experience of trial events and will send census takers to large markets, train stations and airports. However, the exit areas will be primarily aimed at visitors.

In the meantime, the Moscow government is concerned about recruiting census takers, of whom, according to preliminary estimates, at least 36.9 thousand people will be needed. According to the head of the census commission, it is planned to attract primarily students and the unemployed. Moreover, a preliminary agreement on the “mobilization” of students has already been reached with a number of universities in the capital. Anatoly Petrov claims that in October the authorities will certainly be able to employ 24.5 thousand students. That is, about 70% of census takers have already been identified.

Oleg VOLKOV