Special mechanisms devised for migratory, tribal population coverage, says CPCO Amit Sharma
Jammu, May 19: More than 1.50 lakh households across the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir have successfully completed their Self-Enumeration exercise within the first three days of its launch under Census 2027 through the official Self-Enumeration portal se.census.gov.in, Chief Principal Census Officer and Director of Census Operations, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Amit Sharma, IAS, said on Tuesday.
He described the public response as highly encouraging and stated that citizens across urban, rural, hilly, and far-flung areas are actively participating in India’s first fully digital and paperless Census exercise.
Addressing the media here today alongside Zakir Nazeer, Media and Communications Officer, PIB, Jammu, Amit Sharma informed that all districts of the Union Territory are showing enthusiastic participation and an encouraging response to the Self-Enumeration exercise. He particularly highlighted that far-flung districts, including Kulgam, Baramulla, and Kupwara, besides remote areas of the Jammu division, have also witnessed remarkable public participation during the initial phase, reflecting growing awareness and confidence among citizens regarding the digital Census process.
The Director said that the strong response received during the first few days reflects the success of extensive awareness campaigns, media outreach, district-level mobilisation, and citizen facilitation mechanisms established by the Directorate of Census Operations and district administrations across the Union Territory.
Amit Sharma further informed that dedicated support systems and facilitation arrangements have also been established at district and field levels to assist citizens in completing their Self-Enumeration smoothly and accurately through the online platform.
During the press meet, the Director also gave detailed information regarding special arrangements being put in place for the coverage of migratory and nomadic tribal populations across the Union Territory, including Gujjar, Bakarwal, and other nomadic communities.
The Director assured that no person from the tribal or migratory population would be left out of the Census enumeration exercise and stated that dedicated operational mechanisms are being devised in coordination with various departments, including the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the School Education Department, the Tribal Affairs Department, and the Sheep Husbandry Department, to ensure comprehensive coverage of migratory and nomadic populations during Self-Enumeration and subsequent House Listing Operations.
Amit Sharma further informed that special deployment plans for Enumerators and Supervisors are being prepared for remote, hilly, and migratory routes so that tribal and migratory households residing in difficult geographical locations are fully covered during Census operations.
The Director also reassured the public that the Self-Enumeration portal and Census mobile applications have been specifically designed to function effectively even in difficult terrain and low-connectivity environments. He stated that offline and synchronisation-based mechanisms have been incorporated into the digital systems so that enumeration activities can continue smoothly even in areas where internet connectivity may not be consistently available.
Highlighting the importance of accurate demographic data, Shri Amit Sharma appealed to all residents of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir to complete their Self-Enumeration within the notified timelines and to furnish correct, clear, and transparent information for the generation of reliable data essential for governance, welfare schemes, infrastructure planning, and developmental policy formulation.
Amit Sharma also clarified that all information collected during Census operations remains completely confidential under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, and reiterated that no bank account details, PAN details, financial transaction information, or similar sensitive personal data are collected during the Census exercise.
