Patna: The district administration of state capital Patna has formally launched the first phase of Census 2027, marking the start of a large-scale housing listing and house-count exercise in what officials describe as India’s first fully digital census.
The programme was inaugurated on Friday in the Ramji Chak area of Danapur Nizamat Nagar Parishad by Patna district magistrate Thiyagarajan SM, who called the exercise a “historic and proud moment” for the district.
He said the census was more than a statistical exercise, describing it as one of the most important tools available to governments for policymaking. Accurate and up-to-date data, he said, would help authorities plan and implement schemes in education, healthcare, infrastructure and social welfare.
Two-tier administrative structure
To manage the operation, Patna district has been divided into two administrative units. Responsibility for the Patna Municipal Corporation area has been given to the municipal commissioner, while the district magistrate will oversee the remaining 40 charges covering rural areas and other urban local bodies in his capacity as principal census officer.
Thousands deployed for fieldwork
Officials said extensive preparations had been completed ahead of the rollout. A total of 8,114 house-listing blocks have been created to ensure coverage of every household in the district.
For ground-level data collection, 7,963 enumerators have been appointed to visit homes and gather information. They will be supported by 1,343 supervisors tasked with monitoring performance and maintaining data quality.
Authorities have also created a reserve pool of 899 enumerators and 154 supervisors to replace staff quickly in case of emergencies or operational disruption.
Self-enumeration gains momentum
One of the key features of Census 2027 is a self-enumeration facility allowing residents to submit their details through an online portal.
According to district officials, the initiative has received a strong response in Patna, where more than 2.5 lakh families have already registered their information digitally.
Residents who have completed self-enumeration have been asked to share their reference numbers with visiting enumerators to speed up verification.
Privacy assurances
The district magistrate also sought to reassure residents over privacy concerns, saying all personal information would remain confidential and be used only for official planning and development purposes.
He said no individual data would be made public and that modern technological safeguards had been introduced to prevent misuse.
Planning future development
Officials said census findings would help guide future investment in hospitals, schools, roads, drinking water systems and other essential services. Better data, they added, would also improve the allocation of resources according to local needs.
Public urged to cooperate
At the close of the launch event, the district administration appealed to residents and the media to support the exercise by cooperating with enumerators, providing accurate information and avoiding misinformation.
With the first phase now under way, Patna officials say Census 2027 could become a key foundation for the district’s long-term development strategy.
- Patna
- Census 2027
- Bihar
- Digital Governance
- Public Policy
