Economic census to start next month

Economic census to start next month

JAKARTA (JP): The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) will
start a nation-wide census early next month to map out the
weaknesses and strengths of the country's business activities.

BPS chairman Sugito said here yesterday that the census would
cover almost all business sectors, including mining activities,
power generation, manufacturing, construction, retailers and
wholesalers.

Service activities related to transportation, finance,
accommodation and restaurants will also be targets of the census.

"All licensed business units, except those engaged in
agriculture, will be surveyed," he said.

Sugito said that small-scale companies without business
licenses will also be surveyed, but randomly.

BPS will deploy around 86,000 surveyors comprised of workers,
teachers and students, to carry out the census, the second
economic survey to be conducted by the agency to date.

Data will be collected in all parts of the country in December
and January in cooperation with provincial administrations. The
outcome of the survey will be published in February 1997.

"President Soeharto is expected to launch the census on
Thursday," he said.

The agency will need at least Rp 200 billion (US$87.2 million)
in state funds to finance the nation-wide census.

Sugito said that the government has earmarked around Rp 63.4
billion for data collection in the current state budget, which
ends in March.

"We expect the remainder to be made available in the following
fiscal years," he said.

Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto has
appealed to business players to support the census and to give
correct data to BPS's surveyors.

Sugito described the census as a breakthrough for the
country's economic players, which at present still lack adequate
business data in backing up their operations.

He explained that data to be obtained from the census would be
used to formulate a business information system for the country.

"The census will be important for mapping out business
potential and weaknesses," he said.(hen)