Tamil Nadu completes Census 2027 Phase 1; gears up for District Handbook

The first phase of the Census 2027 has been completed in Tamil Nadu, with authorities now turning their attention to preparing a comprehensive District Census Handbook, Director of Census Operations M. Sundaresh Babu announced on Tuesday.

The houselisting operations, which constituted Phase 1, concluded last month. The exercise involved approximately 1.5 lakh officials, including around 1.15 lakh enumerators who fanned out across the state to collect primary data on households and amenities.

“We have completed the Houselisting operations. We have commenced the training of officials for preparing the District Census Handbook. They will collect details such as roads, hospitals, educational institutions in revenue villages and towns for the handbook,” Mr. Sundaresh Babu said.

The District Census Handbook will provide a holistic picture of every revenue village and town, capturing vital infrastructure and administrative information. This data is essential for planners, researchers, and policymakers at both state and central levels.

Training for the handbook is being conducted in a phased manner. Senior officials are now being trained, and once they complete their orientation, taluk-level officials will be equipped to gather data from various government departments. Field-level functionaries are scheduled to undergo training in September and October, followed by a dedicated data collection drive from October 16 to November 15.

The Census is the largest statistical exercise in India, providing a comprehensive snapshot of the country's population, housing, and socio-economic profile. The District Census Handbook, prepared once every census, serves as a critical reference for local administration, urban planning, and resource allocation.

With Phase 1 concluded, the focus now shifts to the detailed groundwork for the handbook. The painstaking process ensures that every village and town is documented thoroughly, enabling evidence-based governance.

Phase 2 of the Census, the population enumeration stage, is scheduled to be held across Tamil Nadu in February next year. The success of this phase will depend on the foundation laid during the ongoing preparatory work.