West Bengal to Launch Long-Delayed Census in August, Chief Minister Announces

The West Bengal administration is set to initiate the Census process on August 1, as announced by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The initiative had been stalled due to the prior Trinamool Congress government's lack of action, attributed to political reasons, affecting preparation timelines.

At a press conference, Adhikari revealed that Census Director Rashmi Komal will oversee the digital data collection, marking a first for the state, with operations planned between August 1 and February end. This digital approach involves government staff using a mobile application to streamline data submission directly to a central server.

Highlighting the importance of the exercise, Adhikari emphasized its non-political nature and urged public cooperation. He also criticized the previous administration's inability to provide land to the BSF for border fencing, which affected demographic changes due to unchecked infiltration.

The chief minister has launched toll-free helplines to aid citizens with census-related queries, underscoring the administration's commitment to a smooth enumeration process.

(With inputs from agencies.)