THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, APRIL 13, 2026

In a major step towards modernising India’s population data systems, the Directorate of Census Operations, Odisha, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, is set to roll out the first phase of the Census and House Listing Programme across all 30 districts of the state from April 16.

Announced at a press meet on Monday, the initiative marks a significant milestone as the country moves towards its first fully digital Census. The programme is being conducted in collaboration with the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Odisha, which is serving as the nodal department for the exercise.

Under the first phase, trained enumerators and supervisors will conduct a comprehensive door-to-door survey from April 16 to May 15, collecting vital demographic and housing data using a dedicated mobile application. The groundwork for this phase has already been laid through a Self-Enumeration drive, which commenced on April 1 and will continue until midnight of April 15.

Officials revealed that as many as 1.76 lakh households have already submitted their details through the Self-Enumeration Portal, reflecting a strong public response to the digital initiative. Citizens have been urged to make maximum use of the portal (se.census.gov.in) and complete their submissions before the deadline.

The administrative framework for the Census operation has been meticulously structured to ensure seamless execution. District Collectors and Municipal Corporation Commissioners have been designated as Principal Census Officers, while Additional District Collectors are serving as District Census Officers. At the grassroots level, Tahsildars and Executive Officers of statutory towns have been entrusted with responsibilities as Charge Officers.

In a notable feature of the exercise, primary school teachers have been appointed as enumerators, while high school teachers will function as supervisors — underscoring the state’s reliance on its education workforce for this massive data-gathering mission.

Emphasising the technological leap, officials highlighted that this will be India’s first Census to incorporate digital tools extensively, including the CMMS portal for creating house listing blocks. The self-enumeration data collected online will also undergo verification by field enumerators to ensure accuracy and reliability.

To assist citizens, a dedicated toll-free helpline — 1855 — has been made operational for addressing queries and resolving issues related to the Census and House Listing Programme.

Adding a cultural touch to the initiative, a special song dedicated to the Census was also formally launched on the occasion, aiming to raise awareness and encourage public participation.

Calling for collective cooperation, the Census Directorate stressed that active public involvement will be crucial to the success of this nationwide exercise, which forms the backbone of policy planning and governance.