Chennai, 01 August (H.S.):

Tamil Nadu on Saturday launched the first phase of Census 2027 by commencing India's first fully digital Houselisting and Housing Census, marking a major shift from the traditional paper-based system to a technology-driven enumeration process.

The month-long exercise, which will continue until August 30, will cover every household across the State through nearly 1.2 lakh house-listing blocks under 1,026 administrative charges. More than 1.15 lakh enumerators have been deployed for the survey, while around 19,000 supervisors will oversee field operations to ensure the smooth conduct of the exercise.

Officials said the Houselisting and Housing Census will provide the statistical foundation for the Population Census and help governments prepare evidence-based policies, improve welfare delivery and plan long-term development programmes. The survey will also enable authorities to assess housing conditions and identify gaps in basic infrastructure.

Enumerators will collect information through a 33-question schedule covering housing ownership, building materials, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, cooking fuel, communication facilities and other essential amenities.

For the first time in India's Census history, all data will be captured using a dedicated mobile application instead of paper forms. Officials said the digital platform is expected to improve accuracy, minimise errors, reduce processing time and ensure efficient management of information.

Tamil Nadu has already recorded a strong response to the self-enumeration facility introduced ahead of the survey, with more than 10 lakh households submitting their details online between July 17 and July 31. Residents who completed the online process have been asked to keep their Self-Enumeration Identification Number ready for verification during the enumerator's visit, while those who did not opt for self-enumeration will be covered through the door-to-door exercise.

Officials reiterated that all information collected during the Census is protected under the Census Act, 1948, and that the digital collection and processing of data comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act. They emphasised that the information will remain confidential and will be used only for statistical and developmental purposes.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman