Correspondent
Kohima, Oct 27 (NPN): The Directorate of Census Operations, Nagaland, in collaboration with the Kohima Press Club (KPC), organised an interaction with media representatives at Hotel de Oriental Grande, Kohima, on Tuesday to familiarise them with the preparations and digital initiatives being introduced for the Census of India 2027.
Delivering a technical presentation on “Census of India 2027”, Director of Census Operations, Nagaland, Dr. Kenei Miachieo, emphasised the significance of the census as one of the country’s largest statistical exercises and outlined the digital technologies that will be deployed for data collection, monitoring and management.
He informed that Census 2027 would primarily utilise mobile applications for household data collection, while citizens would also be able to self-enumerate through an online portal. A web-based platform would oversee and monitor census activities, and a web-mapping application would be used to create House Listing and Enumeration Blocks (HLBs).
According to Dr. Miachieo, these digital systems are designed to streamline field operations, enhance data management and strengthen monitoring mechanisms. The Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) will function as a centralised platform for coordinating census operations, including duty allocation, training of census personnel, logistics management and tracking of fieldwork progress.
Explaining the census process, he said the exercise would be conducted in two phases. The first phase, the House Listing and Housing Census, involves the identification and listing of buildings, census houses and households, along with information on housing conditions, amenities and assets. The second phase, Population Enumeration, focuses on collecting demographic, socio-economic and other details of individuals.
He further stated that the self-enumeration facility would complement household visits by enumerators, with all information submitted online subject to verification during the census process. On data security, Dr. Miachieo highlighted the safeguards in place for information collected through mobile devices, as well as measures for secure data transmission and server-level storage. He noted that the digital infrastructure incorporates multiple layers of protection throughout the data lifecycle, backed by security audits conducted by reputed agencies. He also pointed out that census data centres have been designated as Critical Information Infrastructure (CII), underscoring the importance of securing the digital systems that will support the nationwide exercise. Dr. Miachieo said Census 2027 is being conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990, and is expected to generate crucial demographic and socio-economic data for planning, policy formulation and development programmes at the national, state and local levels. He was accompanied by Deputy Director Imkongnungsang Longkumer during the session, which concluded with an interaction between officials and media personnel.
Earlier, KPC president Vishü Rita Krocha described the census as more than a statistical exercise, stating that it serves as the foundation for planning the future of both Nagaland and the country.
In her opening remarks, she thanked the Directorate of Census Operations, Nagaland, for organising the programme and highlighted the importance of collaboration between the department and the media fraternity.
Krocha stressed that an accurate census was crucial for Nagaland, as the data collected will influence resource allocation, developmental policies and grassroots representation. She cautioned that inaccurate population figures could result in missed opportunities and flawed planning for the coming decade.
Highlighting the media’s responsibility, she urged journalists to disseminate accurate information, dispel misconceptions and encourage public participation. She underscored that public awareness and cooperation would be essential to the successful conduct of Census 2027 and emphasised the need for media professionals to understand the census process to effectively educate the public.
The programme was chaired by Mhareni Kithan, Junior Executive. Chuyalo Kath, Assistant Director, delivered the welcome address, while Kuku Livi, Junior Executive, proposed the vote of thanks.