Dulloo takes stock of preparedness for next phase in districts across J&K
Srinagar | Sept: 28: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday chaired a high-level meeting of the UT Level Census Coordination Committee (UTLCCC) to review the ongoing Census 2027 operations in snow-bound areas and assess overall preparedness for the upcoming Population Enumeration phase across the remaining non-snow-bound regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by top administration officials, including the Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department; Commissioner Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department; Secretary, Revenue; Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir; Deputy Commissioners; Director, School Education; Joint Director, Census Operations, J&K; and other concerned officers.
Taking a comprehensive district-wise appraisal from the respective Deputy Commissioners, the Chief Secretary reviewed administrative arrangements, logistical readiness, and interdepartmental coordination needed for the next phase. Reviewing the progress in snow-bound zones, he directed the concerned Deputy Commissioners to expedite the completion of the remaining Enumeration Blocks (EBs), ensuring that the exercise is concluded well before the sunset date set for the exercise.
Dulloo emphasized the importance of maintaining accuracy, comprehensive coverage and strict adherence to prescribed timelines, while calling for close coordination between the district administrations and census authorities to address any operational bottlenecks. Turning his attention to non-snow-bound areas, he directed the concerned Divisional and District Administrations to put in place all necessary administrative and logistical arrangements well in advance, drawing upon the experience gained during the ongoing operations in snow-bound regions.
A detailed presentation by the Joint Director, Directorate of Census Operations, J&K and Ladakh, revealed that enumeration is currently underway across 95 designated charges in 16 snow-bound districts. Out of 4,597 identified Enumeration Blocks in these areas, 3,814 have been completed—marking an impressive overall progress of 82.97 percent. Four districts—Budgam, Bandipora, Ganderbal, and Pulwama—have achieved 100 percent completion, followed by Kishtwar at 98.84 percent, Reasi at 94.49 percent, and Udhampur at 91.69 percent.
On the financial front, Commissioner Secretary, PD&MD, R. Alice Vaz informed the committee that ₹49.20 crore has been released to the districts to cover IT infrastructure, fuel, contingencies, honorariums, and field functionaries’ training allowances. The panel was also briefed that intensive two-phase training for nodal officers, charge officers, supervisors, and enumerators deployed for Special Charges in snow-bound areas was successfully wrapped up earlier this month across both divisions.
Preparations for compiling the District Census Handbook (DCHB) are also in full swing following field functionary training completed between September 14 and 27, 2026. Fieldwork for the Village and Town Directories begins October 1 via a dedicated digital portal on which all field personnel and charge officers are already registered. The massive exercise will gather comprehensive data spanning 400 questions for the Village Directory and 420 questions for the Town Directory under strict supervision by respective PCOs. The Chief Secretary stressed that the District Census Handbooks constitute an important repository of grassroots-level information and called for meticulous data collection and effective supervision at every stage of their preparation.
To drive citizen engagement, the UT has rolled out a robust Information, Education and Communication (IEC) publicity campaign across print, electronic, digital, and outdoor media. Awareness jingles are currently broadcasting in Hindi, Urdu, Kashmiri, and Dogri via Akashwani and Red FM from Srinagar and Jammu. Additionally, mobile LED vans, strategic hoardings at public hubs, and school outreach initiatives—including a seminar at the Bhaderwah Campus of the University of Jammu and a district-level quiz in Kishtwar—are actively rallying public participation.
Closing the session, the Chief Secretary underscored the need for sustained public outreach, effective field-level monitoring and proactive resolution of operational difficulties to ensure that the entire exercise is conducted smoothly, accurately and within the stipulated timelines.
