JAMMU, October 31: Jammu and Kashmir has completed 100 per cent fieldwork for the District Census Handbook (DCHB), covering 6,466 villages and 80 towns across the Union Territory, Director Census Amit Sharma said on Saturday.
He said preparations for the Population Enumeration exercise in non-snowbound areas were progressing, with a series of training programmes for Census personnel scheduled from October 26 to January 2027. The actual enumeration exercise is set to begin on January 25.
Sharma, who is also the Chief Principal Census Officer of J&K and Ladakh, said the DCHB exercise was conducted between October 8 and 30 and successfully covered all identified villages and towns across the UT.
The District Census Handbook comprises the Village Directory and Town Directory, documenting essential facilities and infrastructure, including educational and healthcare institutions, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, banking, communication, irrigation, agriculture and other civic amenities.
He said the data collected during the exercise would now undergo scrutiny and validation. Charge Officers have been given 15 days to recheck and compile the information, which is expected to reach the Directorate by November 15. The Directorate will complete its detailed evaluation by December 15 before forwarding the finalised data to the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India for publication.
Population Enumeration Schedule Announced
Sharma said the Population Enumeration exercise in snowbound areas of Jammu and Kashmir had already been completed in September, covering snowbound regions across 16 districts.
While the entire Kishtwar district was covered, snowbound areas in the remaining 15 districts were covered partially. Special Charges, including personnel of the armed forces and other security establishments, were also included in the exercise.
The next phase will focus on non-snowbound and plain areas. As per the schedule notified by the Government of India, self-enumeration will take place from January 10 to 24, followed by field enumeration from January 25 to February 28.
The questionnaire for Population Enumeration is expected to contain around 40 questions. Citizens have been advised to keep relevant documents and personal information ready to ensure a smooth process.
Training of Census Personnel Underway
Sharma said a one-day UT-level training programme was held in Srinagar on October 15, jointly chaired by him and J&K Administrative Secretary of the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, Owais Ahmed.
District-level training sessions are being conducted from October 26 to November 10. Training in Kathua district and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation has already been completed.
Separate two-day sessions are also being organised for Technical Assistants, Charge Clerks and other Census personnel at UT, district and charge levels. Each batch will comprise 30 to 35 participants, with two trainers assigned to every batch.
The next stage will involve training Master Trainers from different districts through a four-day programme scheduled from November 17 to 20, to be conducted by National Trainers.
These Master Trainers will subsequently train Field Trainers during the first and second weeks of December. The final phase will involve training Enumerators and Supervisors at Charge Headquarters, beginning in the fourth week of December and expected to conclude by the second week of January.
Special Arrangements for Armed Forces and Houseless Population
The Director Census said special arrangements would be made to cover personnel of the Army, Air Force, paramilitary forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) during Population Enumeration in plain areas.
In view of security requirements, these establishments will follow a prescribed paper-based enumeration schedule and subsequently submit their information in digitised form. Special training and designated arrangements at the Charge level will also be put in place.
He said the houseless population, including people sleeping on pavements, under temporary shelters and in sheds, would also be covered through specialised arrangements and specific instructions to field staff.
"Not even a single soul will be left uncovered or uncounted," Sharma said, adding that individuals would be enumerated at the locations where they were found during the designated period, in accordance with the prescribed de facto approach.
Citizens Urged to Participate
Emphasising the importance of accurate Census data, Sharma said the information would play a crucial role in future development planning, implementation of government schemes, allocation of funds and infrastructure development.
He also recalled that Jammu and Kashmir had secured the first position among Union Territories in self-enumeration during the House Listing Operation, while ranking around seventh or eighth at the national level.
Sharma urged citizens to participate enthusiastically in the upcoming self-enumeration exercise and ensure that accurate information is provided.
