India census chief reviews population enumeration in Ladakh
Registrar-General Mritunjay Kumar Narayan has reviewed Census 2027 preparations in Ladakh, focusing on remote and snow-bound areas, digital data collection and field staffing. Ladakh is the first Indian Union Territory to conduct the population-enumeration phase ahead of the rest of the country.
India’s Registrar-General and Census Commissioner, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, has reviewed progress in the population-enumeration phase of Census 2027 during a four-day visit to Ladakh. The review focused on coverage in remote and snow-bound areas, the performance of the Census mobile application and the preparedness of field-level staff. Ladakh is the first State or Union Territory where the second phase of the census is being conducted ahead of the rest of the country.
The population-enumeration phase comprises 40 questions. An enumerator is expected to spend between 30 and 60 minutes in each household recording information through the application. The exercise is scheduled to conclude on September 30.
Thirteen fields have been added to the questionnaire since Census 2011. They include information on a spouse, nationality, parents, digital literacy, permanent address, COVID-19 vaccination location, bank accounts, passport and driving licence status, and available mobile, Aadhaar and voter identification numbers. Narayan held review meetings with the Union Territory administration, district officials, charge officers and field staff.
In Leh, he met Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra and assessed preparations for coverage of civilian areas and special charges, including defence establishments. Officials from the Air Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force and Border Roads Organisation participated in discussions on enumeration in those establishments. Narayan also visited Zanskar and reviewed the exercise with the Kargil administration.
Field inspections took place in Nubra, Chumathang and Chushul in Nyoma, where he spoke with enumerators and supervisors about operational difficulties. Ladakh is being covered through an estimated 637 enumeration blocks. The exercise follows house-listing operations covering 579 blocks across 17 charges.
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