Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 9: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, in presence of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, today chaired a high-level sensitisation session to review and strengthen preparations for the upcoming Census, 2027 which will be conducted digitally for the first time across the country.
The session was attended by Administrative Secretaries of various departments, senior officers of the Union Territory administration, Divisional and District administration officers and representatives of multiple Government departments.
Addressing the officers, the Chief Secretary emphasised the need for coordinated and proactive preparations for the smooth conduct of the census operations. He also underscored the importance of public awareness and outreach, stressing that citizens must be encouraged to actively participate in the census process and provide accurate information. He observed that a successful census depends on the cooperation of both the administration and the public, and all stakeholders must work together to ensure the credibility and completeness of the data collected during this mega UT wide programme.
Speaking on the occasion, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan expressed satisfaction over the level of preparedness and the comprehensive sensitisation carried out for officers at different levels of the administration in Jammu and Kashmir.
Highlighting the significance of the census exercise, he said that census data plays a pivotal role in determining the share of states and Union Territories in various Finance Commission allocations and Government development programmes. He noted that the census serves as the foundational dataset guiding policy planning and development initiatives for the next decade.
He urged officers and field functionaries to exercise utmost diligence while collecting information, stressing that the quality and reliability of census data are critical for ensuring evidence-based planning and objective policy outcomes. He also emphasised the importance of rigorous training for field staff engaged in the exercise, noting that a clear understanding of procedures and digital tools would ensure smooth and efficient operations on the ground.
During the session, Director Census Operations for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Amit Sharma delivered a detailed presentation outlining the strategy, methodology, administrative arrangements and digital systems planned for conducting the census operations in the Union Territory.
He informed that the Census of India 2027 will be conducted in two phases across the country. The first phase will comprise the House Listing Operations (HLO), followed by the second phase of Population Enumeration.
As per the operational plan, Phase-I (Houselisting and Housing Census) will begin with a 15-day self-enumeration window from May 17 to May 31, 2026, allowing citizens to submit their details digitally. This will be followed by 30 days of house-to-house enumeration throughout June 2026. The phase will focus on documenting housing conditions, household amenities and related infrastructure, which will form the statistical framework for the subsequent population enumeration phase.
Considering the unique geographic and climatic conditions of Jammu and Kashmir, Phase-II (Population Enumeration) will commence in September 2026 for snow-bound areas and in February 2027 for non-snowbound regions. This phase will collect detailed data on demographic, socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the population.
The Director further informed that the Census Reference Date has been fixed as March 1, 2027 for most areas, while October 1, 2026 will serve as the reference date for snow-bound regions.
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