Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio has stated that Census-2027 would be a significant and important exercise for the state. He noted that decadal population growth rate of Nagaland has shown inconsistencies when compared to the national average and therefore, urged all elected representatives and political party leaders to help correct such discrepancies through responsible leadership.
Addressing a briefing session on Census-2027 held at State Banquet Hall, Chief Minister’s Residential Complex Kohima, the Chief Minister also pointed out that inflated census data has resulted in complications in areas such as Aadhaar coverage and school enrolment figures. He therefore stressed the importance of avoiding multiple entries during census enumeration.
Referring to Nagaland as a predominantly Christian state, he appealed to all participants not to take pride in wrongful practices or unhealthy competition, but instead to uphold honesty and integrity in the conduct of the census.
The session was attended by the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio; Deputy Chief Ministers, TR Zeliang; Deputy Chief Minister, Y Patton and Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Sharingain Longkumer along with several Cabinet Ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly.
The session was also attended by Chief Secretary, Sentiyanger Imchen; Home Commissioner, Abhijit Sinha; Director of Census Operations, Dr. Zasekuolie Chusi; Commissioner, Nagaland, Gregory Thejawelie and other senior bureaucrats. Representatives from various political parties and party functionaries also attended the programme.
Delivering the welcome address, Sentiyanger Imchen highlighted the importance of conducting an accurate census in the state. He emphasized that reliable census data is crucial for planning and implementing various government projects and developmental initiatives. He also expressed his appreciation to the Chief Minister for taking the initiative to organize such an important briefing session.
Home Commissioner, Abhijit Sinha presented an overview of Census-2027, which was followed by a detailed presentation by Director of Census Operations, Dr. Zasekuolie Chusi on the methodology, processes, and challenges involved in the census exercise.
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Dr. Chusi appealed to the gathering to strive for a clean and accurate census by avoiding the enumeration of duplicate individuals and any deliberate inflation of population figures. He stated that such practices undermine the integrity of crucial socio-economic data collected through the census and distort the data required for planning and implementation of various government schemes and programmes.
He further emphasized that the census is not merely a headcount exercise but an important source of diverse and essential data required for policy formulation and developmental planning.
A fruitful discussion followed, during which several questions were raised and clarifications were provided. Prominent contributors during the discussion included Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio; Deputy Chief Minister, TR Zeliang; Minister for Roads & Bridges, Kaito Aye; Advisor for School Education & SCERT, Dr Kekhrielhoulie Yhome and MLA, Kuzholuzo Nienu among others.
The briefing session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Commissioner, Nagaland, Gregory Thejawelie.
