Noida District Magistrate Medha Roopam on Monday expressed strong displeasure over the tardy pace of Census 2027 operations, reprimanding officials during a review meeting. She was particularly upset about the absence of additional chief executive officers from the district's three development authorities and warned that a formal complaint would be sent to the chief secretary.
Census Progress Lags Behind
Official data reveals that house-listing work has begun in only 7% of the district's 5,923 blocks. In stark contrast, neighboring Ghaziabad has initiated work in over 60% of its 7,886 blocks, highlighting a significant gap in administrative readiness. The door-to-door house-listing census commenced in both Noida and Ghaziabad on May 22 and is scheduled to continue until June 20. The district administration estimates that there are 8.7 lakh houses in Gautam Buddh Nagar and 11.77 lakh in Ghaziabad that need to be covered.
DM's Directives
Calling the Census a task of national importance, the DM instructed officers-in-charge to conduct daily reviews of each block and closely monitor enumerators and supervisors engaged in fieldwork. "The pace of work is unsatisfactory and needs immediate improvement. These operations cannot be treated casually. Every officer concerned must ensure that the work progresses in a time-bound and systematic manner," said Roopam.
The administration also reviewed Census activities in areas under the Noida, Greater Noida, and Yamuna Expressway authorities. The DM expressed strong displeasure over the absence of additional chief executive officers from these bodies and directed officials to show visible improvement within 24 hours.
Challenges in Manpower and Monitoring
Officials noted that the district administration has faced difficulties in mobilizing adequate field-level manpower and ensuring consistent monitoring of enumerators across urban sectors and rapidly developing areas. Speaking to TOI, the DM attributed the slow progress to negligence by the three authorities and mentioned that she had written to their CEOs regarding the matter.
Detailed Breakdown by Authority
In an official communication issued on May 25, the DM expressed concerns over the lack of seriousness shown by officials of the three authorities in the first phase of Census 2027. According to the letter:
- Greater Noida Authority: Out of 2,313 house listing blocks (HLBs), data has been uploaded in only 77 blocks, while work has not started in the remaining 2,236 HLBs.
- Noida Authority: Out of 2,281 HLBs, data upload has begun in only two blocks, with only two HLBs completed. Work in the remaining 2,277 HLBs is yet to begin.
- Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority: Among 543 HLBs, enumerators have uploaded data in only 57 blocks and completed four, while work has not started in the remaining 482 blocks.
"The figures clearly indicate that the authorities are not taking the census work seriously, which is adversely affecting the image of the government and administration," Roopam stated in the letter. She warned that if expected progress is not achieved, action should be initiated to stop the salaries of the nominated officers concerned.
Ghaziabad Sets Contrasting Example
In sharp contrast, Ghaziabad has already commenced Census work in 4,889 of its total 7,886 HLBs, achieving nearly 62% coverage. Ghaziabad officials said the district administration has intensified monitoring and field verification to maintain momentum. District Census Officer and Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Anjani Singh noted that door-to-door data collection and verification are being carried out across municipal bodies and urban areas. "According to the progress reports, the work has witnessed a surge in pace across different parts of the district, with numerous teams actively engaged in fieldwork," Singh said.
He added that supervisors and enumerators have been instructed to carry out Census duties beyond regular office hours to avoid disruption in routine government functioning. "No leave or exemption from attending office during regular hours will be granted for this work. Heads of offices have also been asked to cooperate by facilitating personnel rotation and granting brief relief from office duties to ensure completion of this nationally important exercise," he said.
