The  'below poverty line' (BPL) census, scheduled to start in early 2011 after being delayed by a year, is on the course for another speedbreaker. The rural development ministry is extending the time-line for the pilot survey to six months, instead of the original two.

This extension is reflected in the ministry’s request for proposal for the support services for data management during the survey.

The pilot survey, according to the previous time-line, was to have kicked off this month and wrapped up by end of August. The data acquired would have helped in finalising the methodologies for the BPL census scheduled for early next year.

“With the pilot survey taking more than scheduled two months, there are serious doubts if the actual survey will be carried out early next year,” said an official from the ministry.

The rural development ministry that is responsible for conducting the survey invited the financial and technical bids on June 30th and the interested companies need to submit the same by July 16th.

While the census was to have started early this year, the delay in arriving at a consensus on the methodology delayed by a year. The consensus was arrived at last month when the central government along with states agreed on recommendation from an Expert Group committee, headed by former secretary N C Saxena, and the dates for the pilot survey was fixed.

Since 1992, the RD ministry has conducted three BPL Censuses—1992, 1997, 2002-- in rural areas.