Bhubaneswar: The Planning and Convergence Department of the Odisha Government on Tuesday convened a high-level meeting of District Collectors at Lok Seva Bhawan to review preparations for the upcoming Indian Census 2027.
The meeting was chaired by Chief Secretary Anu Garg, who emphasized the importance of proactive engagement and timely execution of responsibilities in what she described as a “national mega exercise.” District Collectors, Municipal Corporation Commissioners, and key Census officials from across the state joined the meeting virtually.
During the session, State Census Director Nikhil Pawan Kalyan presented a detailed overview of the first phase of Census operations, which will focus on house listing and preparation of the housing database.
As per the plan, the house listing and housing census phase in Odisha will be conducted from April 16 to May 15, while the self-enumeration window will remain open from April 1 to midnight of April 15. Kalyan also briefed the participants on the current status of preparatory work across districts.
Highlighting the critical role of census data in governance and planning, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh underlined its immense utility in policy formulation and resource allocation.
Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Arabinda Kumar Padhee, who is the nodal officer for Census operations in the state, also addressed the meeting and provided key guidance to ensure smooth and effective implementation of the exercise.
The meeting concluded with a call for coordinated efforts across administrative levels to ensure the successful conduct of the Census-2027 process in Odisha.
