New Delhi, Aug. 1 -- India's 16th Census began in West Bengal on Saturday, August 1, with the first two weeks reserved for self-enumeration, during which residents can provide details about themselves and their families.

The self-enumeration window will remain open from August 1 to August 15.

This first phase of the once-in-a-decade population survey will be followed by a house-listing phase from August 16 to September 14, during which information on housing conditions, household amenities, and assets owned will be collected.

The Census Act, 1948, makes it mandatory for every person to answer questions asked during a census. Anyone refusing to respond to an enumerator's questions could face a penalty of up to Rs.1,000, according to the...