Hyderabad: Chief secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, along with Census operations state director Bharati Holikeri, on Tuesday directed all district collectors to ensure comprehensive geographical coverage, emphasising that no household, habitation, remote settlement, tribal hamlet, or urban slum should be left out of the enumeration process.“Special attention must be given to inaccessible and vulnerable areas to ensure complete and inclusive coverage,” the chief secretary said at the district collectors’ conference at the secretariat.He explained to the collectors the detailed modalities and preparedness for the upcoming Census enumeration process. The meeting focused on the first phase of Census operations, commencing in Telangana from May 11.Stating that the Census-2027 will mark a historic milestone as it will be India’s first-ever fully digital operation, he said the entire exercise would be conducted through a dedicated mobile application for field data collection, ensuring real-time data capture, enhanced accuracy, transparency, and faster processing.“The house listing operations (HLO) will begin from May 11 across the state. As part of the digital initiative, the process of self-enumeration will commence 15 days prior to the start of house listing operations, enabling citizens to voluntarily submit their data online through the designated platform,” Ramakrishna Rao said.Highlighting the importance of capacity building, the chief secretary underscored the need for high-quality and structured training for field-level functionaries, including enumerators and supervisors.“The success of a fully digital Census hinges on the technological proficiency and preparedness of the field staff. Adherence to timelines, maintenance of data quality standards, transparency in operations, and seamless technological integration at every stage of the Census process is crucial,” he said.The collectors were told to closely monitor preparatory activities and to address logistical or operational bottlenecks proactively.Director, Census Operations, Telangana, Bharati Holikeri, presented a detailed overview of the operational framework. She outlined the structured training cascade model designed for systematic capacity building from the state level down to the field functionaries.She also elaborated on the integration of advanced digital systems, including mobile-based applications and back-end monitoring mechanisms, to ensure smooth and secure data collection.She further briefed the collectors on field-level preparatory activities such as finalisation of enumeration blocks, verification of jurisdictional boundaries, device readiness, and coordination with local authorities to facilitate uninterrupted field operations.
