Agartala, 31st July 2026 : With preparations completed for India’s first fully digital Census, Tripura is set to commence the Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO), the first phase of Census 2027, from August 1. Nearly 8,000 enumerators and supervisors will undertake the month-long field exercise across the state from August 1 to August 30, covering around 9 lakh families.
Addressing a press conference in Agartala on Friday, on the eve of the commencement of field operations, Tripura Director of Census Operations Ratan Biswas highlighted the extensive arrangements made for the exercise and appealed to citizens to extend full cooperation to census personnel.
Biswas said the census is much more than a population-counting exercise, as its data serves as the foundation for development planning and policy formulation. Reliable census information is used for planning in areas such as education, healthcare, housing and employment, while also helping determine the allocation of resources and funds at various administrative levels. Accurate data, he said, is equally important for ensuring that welfare programmes reach the intended beneficiaries.
A major feature of Census 2027 is its complete digital methodology. For the first time, census information will be collected electronically through a dedicated mobile application and web portal, making the exercise entirely paperless.
In Tripura, the first phase will focus on housing conditions, household amenities and assets. Enumerators will record information through a questionnaire containing 33 notified questions. These will cover the number and use of houses, construction materials, condition of buildings, ownership status, number of rooms, household size and SC/ST details.
Information on essential household facilities will also be gathered, including sources of drinking water, lighting arrangements, toilet and drainage facilities and the primary fuel used for cooking. The survey will further capture details about household assets and connectivity, including televisions, radios, computers or laptops, internet access, mobile phones and smartphones, as well as bicycles, two-wheelers and cars. The staple food predominantly consumed by the household will also form part of the questionnaire.
The state has already witnessed considerable participation in the self-enumeration process, which began on July 17. Out of the approximately 9 lakh families expected to be covered, around 50,000 households have so far completed self-enumeration.
Biswas said the field operation will be coordinated through the state’s administrative machinery. The District Magistrates of all eight districts will function as Principal Census Officers, while the Commissioner of Agartala Municipal Corporation will serve as the Principal Census Officer for the AMC area.
Addressing concerns regarding privacy, the Director stressed that information supplied by citizens will remain strictly confidential under the Census Act, 1948. Digital data will be protected through encryption and prescribed security mechanisms, and the information will not be disclosed or misused outside the provisions governing the census.
Citizens will also not be required to produce identity cards, certificates or other official documents during the enumeration process. They only need to provide the required information accurately to the enumerator.
The HLO phase is the first of the two major stages of Census 2027. The second phase will involve Population Enumeration, during which detailed population-related information will be collected.
Biswas appealed to people across Tripura to cooperate with enumerators and supervisors and provide truthful information. He also urged media organisations to play an active role in creating awareness, particularly among residents of remote and hilly areas, so that no household is left out of the historic digital census exercise.
Citizens seeking assistance can access Census India or contact the toll-free helpline at 1855.
