Garhwal Post Bureau
New Delhi, 29 Jul: Haridwar MP and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Trivendra Singh Rawat, raised a question in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday regarding Census‑2027. In his written reply, Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai shared important details about the upcoming census.
He informed the House that the Government of India has decided to conduct Census‑2027 in two phases. In snow‑bound areas such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh, census operations will commence from 1 October 2026.
Two Phases of the Census
First Phase – House Listing and Housing Census:
This phase will gather information on each household’s residential status, property details, and basic amenities.
Second Phase – Population Census:
This phase will collect demographic, socio‑economic, cultural, and other crucial information of every individual. Notably, this census will also include caste‑based enumeration.
Rai stated that the reference date for general areas will be midnight of 1 March 2027, while for Himalayan snow‑bound regions (Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and snow‑affected areas of Uttarakhand), the reference date will be midnight of 1 October 2026.
He also mentioned that the financial outlay for Census‑2027 is being finalised and details will be shared in due course. Furthermore, he clarified that there is currently no decision to update the National Population Register (NPR); the government has only issued a notification for conducting the census. Dates for house listing and housing census operations will be notified at an appropriate time.
MP Trivendra Singh Rawat welcomed the inclusion of caste‑based data and the two‑phase approach, stating, “Census is not merely about collecting figures; it forms the very foundation of development planning. This step will help implement schemes in a more targeted manner. The use of digital technology and data transparency in this census will also accelerate the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.”
