Over 1.50 Lakh households’ complete self-enumeration in first three days across J&K

Tribal coverage plans in place; digital census gets strong public response, says CPCO Amit Sharma

Jammu: More than 1.50 lakh households across the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir have successfully completed the Self-Enumeration exercise within the first three days of the launch of Census 2027 Self-Enumeration through the official portal, se.census.gov.in, Chief Principal Census Officer (CPCO) and Director Census Operations, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Amit Sharma said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference alongside Media and Communications Officer, PIB Jammu, Zakir Nazeer, Amit Sharma described the public response towards India’s first fully digital and paperless Census exercise as highly encouraging.He stated that citizens from urban, rural, hilly and far-flung areas are actively participating in the Self-Enumeration process, reflecting growing awareness and confidence regarding the digital Census initiative.

The Director informed that all districts across Jammu and Kashmir are witnessing enthusiastic public participation. He particularly highlighted the encouraging response from far-flung districts including Kulgam, Baramulla and Kupwara, besides several remote areas of Jammu division.Amit Sharma said the overwhelming response during the initial days reflects the success of extensive awareness campaigns, media outreach programmes, district-level mobilisation and citizen facilitation mechanisms established by the Directorate of Census Operations in coordination with district administrations across the Union Territory.

He further informed that dedicated support systems and facilitation arrangements have been established at district and field levels to assist citizens in completing the Self-Enumeration process smoothly and accurately through the online platform.During the press briefing, the CPCO also elaborated on the special operational arrangements being put in place for migratory and nomadic tribal populations, including Gujjar, Bakarwal and other tribal communities residing in remote and seasonal migration areas.

Amit Sharma assured that no person belonging to tribal or migratory populations would be left out of the Census exercise. He stated that dedicated operational mechanisms are being devised in coordination with various departments, including the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, School Education Department, Tribal Affairs Department and Sheep Husbandry Department, to ensure comprehensive coverage of migratory populations during both the Self-Enumeration and subsequent House Listing Operations.

He further informed that special deployment plans for Enumerators and Supervisors are being prepared for remote, hilly and migratory routes to ensure complete coverage of tribal and migratory households living in difficult geographical locations.Highlighting the technological preparedness of the Census system, the Director stated that the Self-Enumeration portal and Census mobile applications have been specifically designed to function effectively even in difficult terrain and low-connectivity areas.

He said offline and synchronisation-based mechanisms have been integrated into the digital platform to ensure uninterrupted enumeration activities in areas where internet connectivity may not remain consistently available.Stressing the importance of accurate demographic data, Amit Sharma appealed to residents of Jammu and Kashmir to complete their Self-Enumeration within the notified timelines and provide correct and transparent information for preparation of reliable demographic data essential for governance, welfare schemes, infrastructure planning and developmental policymaking.

He also clarified that all information collected during Census operations remains completely confidential under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948. He reiterated that no bank account details, PAN information, financial transaction details or similar sensitive personal data are collected during the Census process.