Ladakh Census plans take shape at UT-level coordination meeting

Leh/Jammu, Dec 30: Amit Sharma, Director Census Operations (DCO) and Director Citizen Registration (DCR), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, on Tuesday moderated the second Union Territory Level Census Coordination Committee (UTLCCC) meeting for Ladakh.

The meeting, held in hybrid mode, was chaired by Pawan Kotwal and attended by Administrative Secretaries, Deputy Commissioners of Leh and Kargil, and senior officers from the UT Administration and the Directorate of Census Operations.

During the meeting, Amit Sharma made a detailed presentation on the forthcoming Census 2027, which will be India’s first fully digital and paperless census. He informed the participants that the administrative jurisdiction for conducting Census 2027 activities would be frozen by December 31, 2025. The Chief Secretary directed the Deputy Commissioners of Leh and Kargil to submit the requisite information within the prescribed timelines, following which the UT Administration will issue the necessary Gazette notification.

Sharma also requested the UT Ladakh Administration to appoint the required census staff for the smooth conduct of census operations and to notify the appointments through a Gazette notification at the earliest, in line with the practice followed by other states and Union Territories. The proposal was approved during the meeting.

Highlighting the key features of Census 2027, Sharma said it would introduce several firsts, including self-enumeration for citizens through a mobile application, use of a robust digital platform for data submission, faster processing of census data, and the launch of Census as a Service (CaaS). He also informed that an additional column on caste would be included, making the upcoming census more comprehensive and informative.

One of the most significant decisions taken during the meeting was regarding the census schedule for Ladakh. The Chief Secretary announced that the House Listing Operation (HLO) would be conducted in June 2026, followed by Population Enumeration (PE) in September 2026 across Ladakh, keeping in view its classification as a snow-bound region, as per the Government of India notification.

Sharma further stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, would provide due remuneration to all census functionaries, including Principal Census Officers, Charge Officers, Enumerators and Supervisors. Adequate logistical support, including IT infrastructure, vehicles, fuel, technical experts and support staff, would also be provided for the entire census period of about 18 months.

Before the conclusion of the meeting, Amit Sharma expressed gratitude to the Chief Secretary for chairing the meeting and clearing several important decisions on the eve of his retirement. Participants also extended best wishes to Pawan Kotwal for his post-retirement life.