Administrative Structure Fully Established for State-Wide Coverage
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Financial Commissioner Revenue and Disaster Management, Dr. Sumita Misra who is also the State Nodal Officer to oversee the work of Census 2027 today stated that Census 2027 will be completely in digital mode, a transformational step towards modernizing the Census process.
Enumerators and Supervisors will digitally collect data and submit to the Central Server. The Census mobile apps, portal and other digital tools will be available for both Android as well as iOS version. These apps will be in Hindi, English as well as in 14 Regional languages, she added.
In order to immediately commence preparations for the appointment of Census functionaries at all levels. Dr. Misra has designated all Divisional Commissioners as Divisional Census Officers, Deputy Commissioners/District Magistrates as the Principal Census Officers, who will supervise the entire process within their jurisdictions. Supporting them, Additional Deputy Commissioners, Additional District Magistrates, and Senior Deputy Collectors have been appointed as District Census Officers.
The organizational structure extends seamlessly to the sub-divisional and block levels to ensure comprehensive coverage across every rural cluster and tehsil. At the sub-divisional level, Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) will serve as Sub-Divisional Census Officers. Further down, Tahsildars, Block Development Officers (BDOs), and equivalent officials are appointed as Charge Census Officers. Additionally, Naib Tahsildars have been designated as Additional Charge Census Officers.
Officers from key departments—including Planning, Statistics, Informatics, and Education—have been appointed as Additional or Deputy District Census Officers. Their role is critical in providing technical support, data validation, and logistical coordination during the field operations.
For urban areas, Municipal Commissioners and Administrative Heads are named Principal Census Officers for their jurisdictions. CEOs and Secretaries of various urban bodies will act as Charge Census Officers.
The Government has established a distinct protocol for areas under the sole occupation of military, paramilitary, and other defense organizations (e.g., Defence Services, CRPF, BSF). The Director of Census Operations (DCO) will determine the Special Charge Officers for these exclusive areas in consultation with the respective authorities. Importantly, areas under Cantonment Boards will be treated at par with Statutory Towns, but the exclusive defense/paramilitary areas are distinct from them. The Principal Census Officers (District Magistrates and Municipal Commissioners) are responsible for identifying these Special Charges, submitting the list to the DCO, and making all necessary arrangements for conducting the Population Enumeration (Phase-II) as per established guidelines in these specific jurisdictions.
In addition to military areas, special provisions are made for colonies under the control of Government or public sector authorities, such as those related to railways, irrigation, forest departments, or thermal power stations. It is mandatory for the Principal Census Officer to identify all such special colonies within their jurisdiction.
The Enumerators and Supervisors are the primary functionaries responsible for the actual collection of data. An Enumerator will typically be assigned a population count of about 700-800 individuals to cover, and one Supervisor will be engaged for every six Enumerators, with an additional ten percent reserve for contingencies. As per Rule 3 of the Census Rules 1990, officials like teachers, clerks, or other State Government/local authority staff can be appointed as Enumerators, while Supervisors will generally be officers of a higher rank.
The upcoming census is marked by a transformative shift towards digital governance, with a strong focus on real-time monitoring and secure data collection. All appointed officers have been strictly directed to register census functionaries on the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal.
This registration requires essential details like mobile numbers, email addresses, office locations, and identity documents, establishing a robust digital backbone for secure and paperless operations statewide. Dr. Misra highlighted the state's vision, noting, “This exercise represents a major leap in digital governance. Haryana is fully committed to achieving 100% digital coverage and empowering citizens through secure and efficient self-enumeration tools.”
Dr. Misra informed that the statewide training sessions for enumerators and supervisors are scheduled to commence early next year. These technical preparations will be accompanied by widespread public awareness campaigns and the release of new mobile applications designed to facilitate the digital enumeration process. District and municipal administrations have been directed to maintain close and continuous coordination to ensure the smooth execution of the census across all rural, urban, and special administrative areas.