Bhubaneswar: Odisha is set to begin the next population census in two distinct stages, with the first phase scheduled to commence in April and the second phase planned for February 2027. The timeline was announced by Nikhil Pavan Kalyan, Director of Census Operations for the state.
The initial phase will focus on the house-listing operation, during which census workers will identify and number residential structures and gather information related to household facilities and assets. The second phase will involve an extensive door-to-door population enumeration to document personal demographic details of residents across the state.
To carry out the massive exercise, nearly one lakh enumerators will be deployed throughout Odisha. Each enumerator will be assigned approximately 200 households, while supervisors will monitor the work of six enumerators each. Census workers will receive an honorarium of ₹25,000 for their participation.
Preparatory work for the census has been underway for the past six months. Trial surveys have already been conducted in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, and administrative boundaries of newly formed Notified Area Councils (NACs) and municipalities have been finalised. Over the coming three months, census personnel will undergo systematic training to ensure efficient and error-free data collection.
In the run-up to the census, the Development Commissioner has held consultations with district collectors across the state. Additionally, a state-level Census Coordination Committee meeting was organised at Lok Seva Bhawan, chaired by the Development Commissioner and attended by the Census Director and senior officials. The process will be monitored closely at senior administrative levels to maintain accuracy and transparency.
The upcoming census will rely heavily on digital technology, with about 90 per cent of data expected to be collected online. Residents who prefer self-enumeration will be able to submit their information through the official census website using OTP-based mobile authentication. To strengthen data security, each mobile number can be used only once, and functions such as taking screenshots within the application will be restricted.
