Khodavardi: Statistical Data Is the Basis for Optimal Resource Allocation

Zanjan – The head of the Management and Planning Organization of Zanjan Province said that, given limited resources, identifying priorities and making sound decisions requires accurate information and evidence-based planning.

According to Mehr reporter, Ahmad Khodavardi told reporters on Monday morning: This plan is one of the most important statistical plans of the country and a basic tool for understanding the demographic, social and housing situation, and the resulting information is the basis for decision-making in various development areas.

He added: Demographic features, housing situation, demographic changes, migration, employment and unemployment are among the issues that require detailed knowledge for planning at the province and city level, and the census is one of the most important sources for obtaining this information.

The head of Zanjan Province Management and Planning Organization stated that demographic information plays a decisive role in development plans and stated: an important part of decisions about public investments, housing provision, distribution of facilities and services and determining the priorities of different regions depends on accurate and reliable demographic information.

Khodavardi continued: For proper planning, we must know in which areas the population is concentrated, what changes have occurred in the settlement pattern, which areas have lost their population, and which areas have faced an increase in population; Answering these questions is not possible without access to accurate data.

Census; The basis for understanding the population changes in the villages of Zanjan

Referring to the experience of studying the demographic changes in the rural settlements of Zanjan province over the past decades, he said: the data of the previous censuses made it possible to compare the situation of the population of the villages over time, and by examining these data, the trend of demographic changes and population movement between different regions can be identified.

The head of the management and planning organization of Zanjan province added: In the surveys conducted on the rural settlements of the province, it has been determined that some villages have lost their population during the past decades, while some others have faced an increase in population.

Referring to the change in the pattern of population settlement in some areas of the province, Khodavardi said: The study of population data shows that in some periods, part of the population of marginal villages moved to larger villages and then cities, especially in the Zanjan axis.

He pointed out: Identifying the reasons for these changes and answering questions about the evacuation of some villages, the increase in the population of other areas, and the change in settlement patterns, requires accurate statistical information. An issue that is very important in planning land use and developing development plans.

Emphasizing the necessity of effective use of statistical data in decision-making, Khodavardi said: due to limited resources, identifying priorities and making correct decisions requires accurate information and evidence-based planning.

He added: The management and planning organization of the province operates in areas such as development planning, production and monitoring of economic and social indicators, budgeting and review of the human resources of executive bodies, and accurate statistics are the common foundation of all these areas.

The head of the management and planning organization of Zanjan province stated: Improving the quality of data and effective use of statistical information in decision-making is one of the central goals of this organization, and the realization of this goal requires the cooperation of executive bodies, institutions in charge of information and the participation of people.

Referring to the role of people in producing accurate statistics, Khodavardi said: the quality of statistical information depends on the way data is collected and the level of cooperation of people and devices holding the information; Therefore, accompanying citizens in completing the required information can help to increase the accuracy of the results and improve the quality of planning.

He considered the day of statistics and planning as an opportunity to evaluate the performances and check the level of achievement of the goals and said: on this occasion, we should criticize the past performance, know the current situation and by receiving social feedback, we will correct the future path to improve the quality of statistics and improve decisions.

The head of the management and planning organization of Zanjan province further pointed out the difference in the way this year's census was conducted with previous periods and said: In the previous methods, information collection was mainly done by visiting settlements and households in person, but in this period, the main approach is based on the use of registration data and information available in administrative systems.

Khodavardi added: In this method, the information available in various systems, including the systems related to civil registration and residence and residence information, is used to determine the demographic status of people and the characteristics of households and their places of residence more accurately.

He stated that during this course, a significant part of the required information has been identified and collected through the available data, he said: using these capacities can reduce the need for extensive face-to-face visits and provide the possibility of targeted collection of additional information.

The head of management and planning organization of Zanjan province emphasized: despite the use of registered data, it is still important to review and complete the required information, and for those cases where the information is incomplete, unclear or in need of correction, additional mechanisms are foreseen.

Referring to the notification program before the start of the implementation phase of the census, Khodavardi said: From October 25, an SMS will be sent to people whose information is found to be incomplete or in need of review in the existing systems, to complete their information.

He continued: If the information is completed by the citizens, the need to visit in person will be reduced and the officers will visit the households in a targeted manner and for necessary cases.

The head of the management and planning organization of Zanjan province, referring to the plan's implementation schedule, said: the implementation phase of the census will start from the first of November and will continue until the end of November. Also, according to the announced plan, some field actions in Zanjan province will start earlier than the expected general time.

Khodavardi expressed hope that with the cooperation of citizens and responsible institutions, the necessary information will be collected at the appointed time and the results of this project will be provided to the planners.

He emphasized the necessity of protecting the collected information and said: Individual information of citizens in the census process is confidential and the statistical results are used in aggregate form for use in macro-planning and analysis.

The head of the management and planning organization of Zanjan province noted: Reassurance about the confidentiality of information and clear information about the objectives and methods of census implementation are effective factors in increasing public trust and citizens' participation.

Emphasizing the importance of people's participation in the implementation of this national plan, Khodavardi said: obtaining accurate and high-quality statistics provides the basis for better understanding of the province's capacities and issues, determining development priorities and more effective allocation of resources; Therefore, the cooperation of citizens in completing the information and accompanying the executive bodies in the implementation of the census will play an important role in improving the quality of planning and realizing the balanced development of Zanjan province.