Chief Principal Census Officer (CPCO) and Director Census Operations (DCO), Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Amit Sharma along with Deputy Director General, Office of Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India, Biswajit Das and Principal Census Officer (Deputy Commissioner) Ganderbal, Jatin Kishore today chaired a comprehensive review meeting at the Mini Secretariat Ganderbal to assess the progress of the ongoing House Listing Operations (HLO) being conducted under Census 2027 in the district.
The meeting was also attended by Joint Director, DCO J&K, Arun Kumar; Assistant Director DCO J&K, Vijay Kumar; Chief Planning Officer Ganderbal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kangan, District Coordinator Census Ganderbal, Charge Officers and other concerned officers associated with the Census exercise.
At the outset, Chief Planning Officer Ganderbal briefed the CPCO on the district profile and the status of preparations for Census-2027. He informed that all House Listing Blocks (HLBs) have been successfully created and demarcated on the CMMS portal, while field operations are progressing smoothly across the district.
He apprised the meeting about the training imparted to enumerators and supervisors, self-enumeration progress, awareness campaigns undertaken through various IEC activities, and the monitoring mechanisms put in place to ensure quality data collection and comprehensive coverage of all households, including migratory populations.
Reviewing the progress, Amit Sharma appreciated the preparedness of Ganderbal district and emphasized that Census is the country's largest administrative and statistical exercise, forming the basis for planning, resource allocation and socio-economic development for years to come.
Amit Sharma stressed the importance of maintaining the highest standards of accuracy during data collection and directed enumerators and supervisors to ensure that every entry is recorded correctly and verified thoroughly. He cautioned that even minor errors or conceptual misunderstandings can adversely impact the quality of Census data and affect future policy planning.
The CPCO directed Charge Officers to ensure that Supervisors undertake regular field inspections and conduct random quality checks instructed to intensify monitoring and ensure strict adherence to Census guidelines. He also emphasized verification of household information, coverage of migratory populations, forest areas and other special categories to ensure that no household or individual is left out of the enumeration process.
Special emphasis was laid on ensuring comprehensive coverage of migratory and seasonal populations during the ongoing Census exercise. The CPCO directed field functionaries to meticulously track migration routes and collect details of all eligible tribal population and individuals to ensure that no person is left out of the enumeration process.
Highlighting the role of technology, Amit Sharma said the digital mode of data collection would enhance efficiency and improve the quality of information gathered. Principal Census Officer Ganderbal, assured full administrative support for the smooth conduct of Census operations and directed all concerned officers to closely monitor field activities to ensure timely completion of the exercise.
The meeting also reviewed training activities, awareness campaigns, supervision mechanisms and field-level monitoring arrangements aimed at ensuring comprehensive and error-free Census operations across the district. Later, the CPCO briefed the media regarding the progress achieved under the ongoing House Listing Operations (HLO) of Census-2027 in the district and highlighted the extensive preparations undertaken to ensure smooth, accurate and timely completion of the exercise.
He appealed to the public of Ganderbal and overall public residing in UTs of J&K and Ladakh to fully co-operate with Census functionaries and provide accurate information, stating that reliable Census data serves as the foundation for informed governance, developmental planning and equitable distribution of resources.
The CPCO also reiterated that all information collected during the Census is fully protected under Section 15 of Census Act 1948 while assuring that it remains completely confidential and cannot be shared with any agency or individual. He urged citizens not to fall prey to cyber fraudsters and clarified that Census officials never seek bank account details, passwords, credit card information, PAN or Aadhaar details.