Cabinet clears ₹11,718 Crore for Census 2027, A Two-Phase Exercise Planned
The Sunday Mail
New Delhi. The Union Cabinet has approved a massive allocation of ₹11,718 crore for Census 2027. This investment will strengthen the country’s first fully digital census, transforming centuries-old paperwork into seamless mobile and web-based processes.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, announcing the approval, explained how this will enable the country to obtain accurate demographic information amid rapid urbanization and technological change. The funding covers everything from app development to nationwide digital infrastructure, ensuring that no corner of India is left behind. Ashwini Vaishnav explained that the census will be conducted in two phases: house listing between April and September 2026, and population enumeration in February 2027.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai revealed in the Lok Sabha that Census 2027 will utilize state-of-the-art digital tools, abandoning traditional methods. Census personnel will use mobile applications to collect data at the grassroots level, while respondents will be able to self-enumerate through a user-friendly web portal. A central, dedicated portal will oversee the entire process, enabling real-time monitoring and quality checks.
Considering the country’s vast geography, the census is being conducted in two well-planned phases. The first phase, the house listing and housing census will begin between April and September 2026 and will be completed in just 30 days in each state. The second phase, the population census, will be conducted in February 2027, with the reference time being 12:00 pm on March 1, 2027. Special provisions apply for snow-covered areas: for Ladakh, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the census will be conducted in September 2026, with the reference time being October 1. This phased timeline ensures accuracy even in remote and challenging areas.
