CPCO Amit Sharma launches Census 2027 Population Enumeration in snow-bound areas of J&K & Ladakh
UDHAMPUR, September 1:
Amit Sharma, Chief Principal Census Officer and Director, Directorate of Census Operations, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh today launched month long exercise of Population Enumeration (Phase-II) of Census 2027 across the snow-bound areas of the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, with field operations formally launched from the remote and snow-bound areas of Dudu and Basantgarh in Udhampur district.
The September enumeration marks a significant operational milestone in Census 2027, as the Census machinery now moves towards the enumeration of the population itself, with special arrangements in place to ensure comprehensive coverage of the region’s remote, high-altitude and difficult-to-access areas.
Amit Sharma, said that the commencement of Population Enumeration from Dudu and Basantgarh carries particular significance as it reflects the Directorate’s commitment to taking the Census to every part of the Union Territories, including areas where terrain, distance and weather present formidable field challenges.
He said extensive preparations involving Enumeration Block demarcation, mapping, logistics, training and deployment of field functionaries have been undertaken to ensure that every household and every resident is brought within the ambit of the Census.
He also highlighted that during the Self-Enumeration phase for Population Enumeration in snow-bound areas, the UT of Jammu & Kashmir emerged as the top-performing State/UT among all the snow-bound areas covered under the September 2026 Population Enumeration schedule, recording the highest number of Self-Enumeration submissions. The Self-Enumeration exercise was conducted from August 17 to 31, 2026, which provided residents an opportunity to participate directly in the digital Census process.
During the Self-Enumeration phase for Population Enumeration in the snow-bound areas, conducted from 17th to 31st August 2026, the UT of Jammu & Kashmir emerged as the top-performing State/UT among all the States and Union Territories covered under the snow-bound enumeration schedule, recording 9,672 Self-Enumeration submissions. The response was particularly encouraging in several districts, with Pulwama recording 3,204, Kishtwar 2,231, Doda 1,169, Ramban 629, Poonch 569 and Kulgam 554 Self-Enumerations. In Ladakh, 527 households completed Self-Enumeration, including 301 in Kargil and 226 in Leh. Thus, a combined 10,199 households across the two Union Territories participated through Self-Enumeration ahead of the field phase.
Shri Amit Sharma appreciated the strong public response and said that the participation demonstrates the growing acceptance of the digital Census process and provides a strong foundation for the successful conduct of Population Enumeration. He urged all residents to extend the same spirit of cooperation to Enumerators and Supervisors and ensure that their households and eligible family members are accurately covered.
During the visit he was accompanied by Shri Prem Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner and Shri Darshan Kumar, District Statistics and Evaluation Officer from Deputy Commissioner Office, Udhampur District. From the Directorate of Census Operations, Shri Manmeet Singh Loomba Deputy Chief Principal Census Officer, Shri Balbir Singh and Smt. Nimrat Kour, Assistant Chief Principal Census Officer and Shri Ajit Kumar District Coordinator for Udhampur District accompanied the CPCO.
Population Enumeration in the snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir covers 16 districts and 95 Charges, with an estimated 4,146 Enumeration Blocks being formed. These include Poonch, Kathua, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Reasi, Kupwara, Budgam, Baramulla, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam. In Ladakh, the entire Union Territory is being enumerated during September through an estimated 637 Enumeration Blocks, making it the first Union Territory to be completely enumerated during the second phase of Census 2027.
A significant component of the September exercise will be the enumeration of the houseless population, which will also be covered during this phase. The Directorate has made necessary arrangements to ensure that such population groups are appropriately identified and included within the Census coverage. The exercise will also include, the enumeration of Special Charges, including Defence and Central Armed Police Force establishments and other restricted-access locations, in coordination with the concerned authorities.
Following completion of the field enumeration, a Revisional Round will be conducted from October 1 to 5, 2026 to review the coverage and incorporate eligible changes arising within the prescribed period. This will provide an additional layer of field verification and help ensure that the Population Enumeration is as complete and accurate as possible.
The second phase was preceded by a structured training cascade covering Master Trainers, Field Trainers and subsequently Enumerators and Supervisors, with emphasis on Census concepts, definitions, field procedures and digital tools. Nodal Officers and District Coordinators have also been deployed to coordinate field preparations, Enumeration Block demarcation, distribution of Census kits and availability of manuals and other operational material.
He said that the launch from Dudu and Basantgarh sends a clear message about the approach of Census 2027 in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh: the more difficult an area is to reach, the greater the importance of ensuring that its people are counted accurately. Expressing confidence in the preparedness of the Census machinery, Shri Amit Sharma said that the Directorate would continue its efforts to ensure complete, accurate and timely Population Enumeration across the snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir and the entire Union Territory of Ladakh.