Srinagar, May 11 :
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday chaired the third meeting of the UT-Level Census Coordination Committee to review preparedness for the initial phase of Self-Enumeration and House Listing activities for Census-2027 across Jammu and Kashmir.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary emphasized the need for comprehensive and rigorous training programmes for Enumerators and Supervisors to ensure accuracy and reliability in data collection during the Census exercise. He said well-trained field staff would be crucial in maintaining the integrity and credibility of the entire enumeration process.
Dulloo directed officials to complete the formation and demarcation of House Listing Blocks (HLBs) well before the commencement of enumeration to ensure a seamless and exhaustive exercise without any gaps. He also stressed close monitoring at district and charge levels to avoid delays and ensure effective ground-level preparedness.
Highlighting the importance of public involvement, the Chief Secretary called for coordinated awareness and promotional campaigns involving different departments and stakeholders to encourage citizens to voluntarily participate in the Self-Enumeration process. He observed that active public participation would play a key role in making the Census exercise successful and inclusive.
Reviewing district-wise preparedness, Dulloo instructed Deputy Commissioners and other concerned officers to ensure timely completion of preparatory works, extensive public outreach and smooth coordination among departments for maximum participation in Self-Enumeration.
Additional Chief Secretary Finance, Shailendra Kumar, stressed conducting multiple rounds of training for field staff considering the sensitive nature of the Census exercise. He also emphasized that no household, especially in remote and hilly areas, should be left out during the formation of House Listing Blocks.
Director Census Operations J&K and Ladakh, Amit Sharma, gave a detailed presentation on the progress achieved in training programmes, formation of HLBs, appointment of field staff, publicity plans, administrative arrangements and fund utilization for the upcoming Census operations.
The meeting was informed that 29 batches for training of Field Trainers had been created across all districts and the process was substantially completed by May 10, 2026. Training batches for Enumerators and Supervisors have also been constituted in 17 districts, while training programmes have already started in 12 districts.
Officials informed the meeting that all districts and Municipal Corporations have identified the required field staff and the process of appointment and registration on the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal is underway.
It was further informed that the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India (ORGI) has approved deployment of 27,784 field functionaries for Jammu and Kashmir, including 23,774 Enumerators and 4,014 Supervisors, excluding reserve staff.
The meeting was told that QR-coded appointment letters and identity cards for registered field staff would be generated through the CMMS portal and distributed after completion of trainings.
Regarding HLB formation, officials informed that more than 24,000 House Listing Blocks have been created across Jammu and Kashmir, with over half already geo-tagged and demarcated. Certain districts have sought corrections in administrative units, which have been taken up with ORGI for early resolution.
The presentation also highlighted a comprehensive awareness campaign for Self-Enumeration involving print, television, radio, digital and outdoor publicity, besides social media campaigns, exhibitions, mobile publicity vans, nukkad nataks and community-level outreach in multiple languages including Urdu, Dogri and Gojri.
The meeting was informed that Self-Enumeration of VVIPs would commence from May 17, 2026, in accordance with ORGI guidelines, to encourage wider public participation. Extensive media coverage and awareness campaigns would also be carried out during the period.
A thematic 15-day outreach calendar has also been prepared to ensure participation from various sections of society including elected representatives, educational institutions, judiciary, uniformed services, industries, health institutions, women’s groups, senior citizens, media organizations and youth groups.
To achieve 100 percent Self-Enumeration, districts have been advised to involve Panchayati Raj Institutions, Common Service Centres, educational institutions and local bodies for facilitating citizens free of cost. Several districts have already started awareness drives through public meetings, school activities, debates, press conferences and Gram Sabha announcements.
The meeting also reviewed the status of updation of administrative units on the CMMS portal. Officials informed that administrative boundaries had been frozen as on December 31, 2025, in accordance with Government notifications, while requests for updation of villages, wards and locality names have been submitted to ORGI for approval.(KNC)