CS sets in motion population enumeration phase of Census-2027 in snow-bound areas of J&K

Srinagar, Aug 8: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Saturday chaired a meeting of the Union Territory Level Census Coordination Committee (UTLCCC) to review and finalise preparations for the second phase of Census-2027, involving population enumeration in snow-bound and otherwise inaccessible areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Director, Census Operations, J&K and Ladakh, Amit Sharma, Commissioner Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir, Secretary, Rural Development Department, Director, School Education, Kashmir, senior functionaries of the Directorate of Census Operations and Deputy Commissioners of concerned districts attended the meeting. Dulloo directed district administrations to ensure timely appointment of Enumerators and Supervisors against the additional charges created for Phase-II, with preference to personnel having the requisite technological proficiency for the digital enumeration process. He called for comprehensive training of all Enumerators and Supervisors, stressing that the field-level workforce must be fully conversant with the prescribed questionnaire, digital applications and protocols to ensure the exercise is completed efficiently and without errors or omissions. The Chief Secretary also stressed the need for intensive publicity and public awareness campaigns in all areas covered under the second phase, particularly remote and snow-bound pockets, so that residents are informed about the enumeration schedule, self-enumeration facility and their role in ensuring accurate data collection. He called for timely disbursement of honorarium to personnel for work completed during the first phase and after successful completion of the second phase, besides putting in place an effective monitoring mechanism. Dulloo directed the Directorate of Census Operations and district administrations to maintain close coordination and regularly monitor field progress to ensure timely completion of the exercise. At the outset, Amit Sharma presented the operational blueprint for Phase-II, outlining timelines, deployment strategy, training arrangements, technological systems and public outreach measures for accurate and inclusive population enumeration in designated snow-bound areas. He said citizens will have the facility of self-enumeration through the official Census portal from August 17 to August 31, 2026, followed by door-to-door physical enumeration from September 1 to September 30. The Census Moment will be 00:00 hours of October 1, 2026, while a revisional round will be conducted from October 1 to October 5 for final verification and rectification of omissions, wherever required. The exercise will cover 95 Administrative Charges and 4,146 tentative Enumeration Blocks across snow-bound sectors of J&K. Major operational clusters include Doda with 15 charges, Kishtwar 12, Baramulla 12, Kupwara 10, Ramban eight and Anantnag eight. The meeting was informed that Phase-II enumeration will be conducted through the official Census 2027–PE mobile application, supported by the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal for real-time monitoring of field operations and progress. Enumerators will cover normal, institutional and houseless households through a comprehensive digital questionnaire capturing key socio-demographic, economic, migration, fertility and other relevant indicators. Special training modules have also been devised for personnel handling Special Charges, including defence and paramilitary establishments in these areas. A structured training cascade has been put in place for the exercise. The UT-level Officers and Principal Census Officers’ Conference was held on August 7, followed by training of District/Charge Officers and Census Clerks from August 10 to a12. District Field Trainers will undergo training from August 13 to 17, while training of Enumerators and Supervisors at the Charge level will be conducted from August 20 to 29. The Directorate of Census Operations has also planned a hyperlocal awareness campaign involving media outreach, community radio programmes, social media initiatives, transit branding and mobile announcement vehicles, besides targeted communication interventions to encourage public participation in self-enumeration and field enumeration. The Chief Secretary directed all stakeholders to work in close coordination and maintain a zero-omission approach in the difficult and snow-bound terrain so that every eligible household and individual is covered and the Census exercise is completed with accuracy and credibility. The government has appealed to residents of designated snow-bound and inaccessible areas to extend full cooperation to Census personnel and make maximum use of the self-enumeration facility for a comprehensive and accurate Census-2027.

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