Sikkim Chief Secretary Readies Digital Census 2027

Gangtok: Sikkim Chief Secretary R Telang met on October 8 to organize the second phase of Census 2027. He ordered district administrations to secure enough staff, conduct deep training, and manage strict oversight. This marks the nation's first fully digital population count. The meeting included Home Secretary Tenzing T Kaleon, Director of Census Operations Karma R Bonpo, and collectors from all six districts, along with sub-divisional magistrates and senior department heads.

Teams will use a mobile application for the count. Officials demand total coverage and precise data. The surveys will track migration, economic activity, and specific socio-economic details. "Census data forms the basis for government policies and schemes," Telang said. He warned that field-level execution decides the outcome.

District collectors must prioritize training for supervisors and enumerators. Telang ordered a review of urban manpower needs to ensure no gaps exist in the field. The state will focus on data verification in every village, gram panchayat, and the Gangtok Municipal Corporation area. To keep the numbers clean, elected representatives and political executives will stay out of the collection process. The Census Office retains full control over final data clearance. Sikkim previously wrapped up the first phase of the digital census in April, which focused on house listing and self-enumeration.