Srinagar, June 8: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday reviewed the progress of the ongoing House Listing Operations (HLO) under the first phase of Census-2027 and directed officials to ensure timely and accurate completion of the exercise across Jammu and Kashmir by June 30.

Chairing a meeting of the UT Level Census Coordination Committee (UTLCCC), the Chief Secretary described the census as a critical national exercise that forms the basis for planning, policy formulation and resource allocation. He instructed Deputy Commissioners, District Census Officers and field staff to ensure complete household coverage and seamless coordination during the enumeration process.

Dulloo directed the Planning Department to closely monitor daily progress and extend all necessary support to field functionaries. He also advised that personnel deployed for census work should continue in their present assignments until the exercise is completed satisfactorily.

Director Census Operations, J&K and Ladakh, Amit Sharma, informed the meeting that 23,887 House Listing Blocks (HLBs) have been created across 295 Census Charges in the Union Territory, with field operations already underway in 14,279 blocks.

The meeting was told that Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as the top-performing Union Territory and ranks eighth among all States and UTs in self-enumeration. As of June 1, 2026, nearly 6.67 lakh households had completed self-enumeration through the digital platform.

Special arrangements for enumerating migratory and transhumant populations were also reviewed. Officials said a coordinated mechanism involving the Forest, Tribal Affairs, Sheep Husbandry, Animal Husbandry and School Education departments has been put in place to ensure complete coverage of nomadic communities. Information regarding migratory routes, tribal hostels, mobile schools and seasonal camps has been shared with concerned districts.

District administrations have been advised to adopt flexible strategies, including fixing special enumeration dates and creating additional HLBs wherever necessary, to ensure that no household or population group is left out.

The Chief Secretary stressed strict adherence to census guidelines and timelines and called for coordinated efforts from all departments and local authorities to ensure the successful completion of the Census-2027 exercise.