Chhattisgarh gears up for fully digital Census 2027, house listing from May 1

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh has set the stage for Census 2027, with the state preparing to roll out a first-of-its-kind fully digital enumeration exercise, outlining timelines, technology and the scale of one of the largest administrative operations in the country. Addressing a press conference in Raipur on Monday, additional chief secretary (home) Manoj Kumar Pingua and director of census operations Kartikeya Goyal said the exercise will be conducted in two phases, beginning with house listing and housing census from May 1 to May 30, 2026, followed by population enumeration in February 2027. For the first time, the census will be conducted entirely through digital platforms, with a self-enumeration option allowing citizens to submit their details online between April 16 and April 30. Each household completing this process will receive a unique Self-Enumeration (SE) ID, which will be verified by enumerators during field visits.Officials said even those who opt out of self-enumeration will be covered, as enumerators will visit every household during the May exercise to ensure complete coverage.The first phase will involve a detailed door-to-door survey covering around 33 parameters related to housing conditions, amenities and household assets. These include type of construction, number of rooms, availability of drinking water, toilets, electricity, cooking fuel, internet access and ownership of assets such as mobile phones, vehicles and electronic devices.The data will be collected using mobile applications — available in multiple languages — enabling both online and offline data capture with in-built validation checks to ensure accuracy, officials said.The Census 2027 will be the 16th census in India and the eighth since Independence, and is expected to provide critical baseline data for policy planning, welfare schemes, infrastructure development and resource allocation.To execute the exercise, the state has deployed a massive administrative machinery involving over 62,000 personnel, including enumerators, supervisors, trainers and senior officials. Training of field staff is already underway across all 33 districts and is expected to be completed before the enumeration begins.Authorities stressed that the entire process will be conducted under the Census Act, 1948, ensuring complete confidentiality of personal data. Officials clarified that the information collected cannot be used for taxation, policing or any legal proceedings and will be used strictly for statistical and developmental purposes.A multi-layered monitoring mechanism, including control rooms at district, state and national levels, has been put in place to ensure smooth execution. A toll-free helpline (1855) will also be operational from April 16 to assist citizens.Officials said the census marks a major shift towards technology-driven governance, with digital tools, web-based monitoring systems and geo-referenced mapping of enumeration blocks being deployed for the first time.With the groundwork in place, the state govt has appealed to citizens to participate actively and provide accurate information, stressing that the success of the census will directly shape future development planning in Chhattisgarh.