The landmark population enumeration phase of the 2027 Census will kick off on Monday with self-enumeration in the Union Territory of Ladakh and the snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, covering remote villages, mountainous communities and treacherous terrain.
The mobile application will function in both online and offline modes, ensuring smooth data collection even in remote and network-deficient areas. In the first phase – houselisting and housing data collection – too, the self-enumeration facility was given to all the residents.
“So, Himachal’s early census is primarily a weather and accessibility-driven exercise, aimed at reaching remote communities before winter makes these areas difficult to access,” she said. An officer said the self-enumeration was part of the digital transformation of the census and allowed residents to enter details of members of their household online before an enumerator visits them. “It is intended to reduce the time required for the door-to-door exercise and improve the efficiency of data collection,” he said.
“For this around 6,903 snow-bound villages and areas of Himachal Pradesh have been identified for advance enumeration due to harsh winter conditions that make access difficult during the regular census period…the reason is Himachal’s difficult winter conditions as snow-bound villages and areas where heavy snowfall can make travel and access difficult during the winter months. Therefore, population enumeration in these areas will be completed before the onset of severe winter,” added Deep Shikha Sharma.
In Himachal Pradesh, the exercise will cover three districts, including Komik, one of the world’s highest motorable villages at an elevation of 15,049 feet in the Spiti valley. With 130 people in 2011, the village is home to the 500 year-old Lundup Tsemo Gompa Buddhist Monastery.
