The Government of Nepal has announced plans to conduct the Second National Economic Census 2082 to obtain a factual and comprehensive picture of the country’s overall economic condition through statistical data. At a program held today to unveil the census schedule, logo, and slogan, the National Statistics Office (NSO) stated that it aims to complete nationwide data collection by Ashad 2083.
The census will be conducted under the main slogan “Economic Census for Measuring the Economy”. District-level economic census offices will be established, and data collection will be carried out across the country from Chaitra 1, 2082 to the end of Ashad 2083.
According to NSO Spokesperson and Deputy Chief Statistician Dhundiraj Lamichhane, the results of the census will be published gradually starting from the early phase of Fiscal Year 2083/84. He stated that the census will play a crucial role in providing reliable and foundational data for formulating national economic policies, plans, and development strategies.
Lamichhane further explained that the primary objective of the National Economic Census is to collect detailed information on the number, types, investment levels, employment, production, and service delivery of industries, trade and business enterprises, service sectors, cooperatives, and private and public institutions across the country.
Highlighting the objectives and significance of the census, Chief Statistician Dr. Kamal Prasad Pokhrel said that the census would play a key role in building a strong institutional foundation for economic statistics. He noted that it is expected to contribute significantly to short-term and long-term economic planning, investment promotion, and employment generation, and will serve as a cornerstone for developing a credible national economic data system.
The census also aims to strengthen Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimates, generate data required for revising the base year of national accounts, support government policy formulation and planning, and assist in measuring the achievement of policy targets.
Nepal conducted its first National Economic Census in 2075, which recorded 923,356 establishments and businesses nationwide, with 3,228,457 people employed in those establishments. The data showed that around 30 percent of managers were women, and the number of formal and informal establishments was found to be nearly equal.
For the purpose of determining the size of the national economy, economic activities are classified into 21 categories based on international industrial classification standards. In this census, basic data will be collected from 18 of these sectors.
The census will cover registered and unregistered large and small businesses and establishments, including industries, factories, trade and service enterprises, non-governmental organizations, government institutions, public and private schools, hospitals, and other units engaged in economic activities, whether they employ large numbers of workers or are self-employment based.
However, international organizations, diplomatic missions, government offices engaged solely in administrative and regulatory functions, security agencies, and purely household activities will not be included in the census.
According to spokesperson Lamichhane, all preparatory work for the census will be completed by Falgun 2082, after which 84 district economic census offices—covering all 77 districts along with seven additional offices—will be established nationwide starting Chaitra 1, 2082. All offices will be closed by the end of Ashad 2083.
The NSO has already begun preparing census materials, including the main questionnaire, enumerator manuals, census booklets, and other tools. Human resource management at the central level will be completed by the end of Falgun 2082, while district offices will deploy permanent staff along with contract-based supervisors and enumerators for fieldwork.
Training programs for master trainers, officers, supervisors, and enumerators will be conducted in phases and completed by Chaitra 30, 2082. Following this, trained supervisors and enumerators will be mobilized nationwide for field-level data collection from Baishakh 2 to Ashad 7, 2083.
This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. Translated with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
