Mizoram to count refugees in Census 2027, Aadhaar disclosure not mandatory

Mizoram aims to become the first state in the country to complete Census 2027, with the state government intensifying preparations for the population enumeration exercise, officials said on October 10.

Chief Secretary Khilli Ram Meena chaired a state-level conference in Aizawl to review preparations for the second phase of the census, including training programmes and field arrangements.

Emphasising the importance of accuracy and comprehensive data collection, Meena said census data would play a crucial role in policymaking and achieving the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

He noted that the second phase would require greater effort than the first and urged officials to work with dedication to complete the exercise within the stipulated timeframe. He also called on the state to achieve its target of becoming the first to complete the census, an ambition it had set during the first phase as well.

Deputy Director of Census Operations Jamil R Swer briefed officials on the procedures for the second phase and outlined the proposed training arrangements.

Refugees to be included in census

Officials said all 16 Scheduled Castes in Mizoram would be counted, while refugees residing in the state would also be included in the population enumeration. However, their inclusion in the census would not confer Indian citizenship.

They also clarified that individuals who do not wish to share their Aadhaar numbers must not be compelled to disclose them.

People excluded from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for any reason would also be counted in the census, officials added.

Training to conclude in November

Training for master trainers, field trainers, enumerators and supervisors is scheduled to be completed in November. Each enumerator is expected to cover approximately 800 people.

The Centre has allocated Rs 19.19 crore to Mizoram for conducting the second phase of Census 2027, officials said.