Bhubaneswar, Oct. 22: The survey for enumeration of families living below the poverty line (BPL) will start from November 14. In the first phase, the exercise will be undertaken in eight backward districts of Orissa. The survey will be conducted on the basis of socio-economic indicators.

Earlier, the Orissa government had decided to start the survey on September 15 and complete it within 45 days. However, the exercise got delayed as the state was unable to procure all the data entry machines within the specified time period.

Orissa required nearly 33,000 machines to take up the enumeration work. “We have so far received only 8,000 machines. We will start the enumeration from November 14. The major share of the expenditure in carrying out the survey will be borne by the Centre,” said Orissa panchayati raj director S.K. Lohani.

In the first phase, the survey work will begin in Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Gajapati districts. High school teachers, village workers, clerks working in different agencies and anganwadi workers will be engaged for the purpose.

However, primary school teachers will not be engaged in the survey work as it would hamper teaching.

A number of measures have been taken to ensure fairness in the enumeration process. “There is provision for automatic exclusion of beneficiaries if a person is a government employee, an income tax payee or if he owns irrigated land up to 2 acres,” Lohani said.