Phase-II & Phase-III of 11th Agricultural Census launched in Jammu

JAMMU: The Office of the Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Jammu & Kashmir, officially launched the Phase-II and Phase-III operations of the 11th Agricultural Census today. The event, marked by a divisional-level training programme, took place at the Meeting Hall of DC Office Jammu, drawing participation from officials and experts from the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, a technical team from NIELET Kolkata, and Revenue and District Statistical & Evaluation Officers from all districts of Jammu division.

Director Planning Parvaiz Ahmad Handoo welcomed attendees and underscored the importance of the Agricultural Census, noting its critical role in shaping agricultural policy and planning. He highlighted the significance of this data-driven exercise, which has been conducted quinquennially since its inception by the Government of India in 1970-71. Today’s census launch ceremony was formalised with a lamp-lighting led by Ram Kesh, Senior Consultant for the Census, symbolising the start of Phase-II and Phase-III operations.

In his address, Mr. Handoo provided a comprehensive overview of the technical aspects of the census process, including a detailed PowerPoint presentation. He introduced the digital toolkit developed for this census—a web portal and mobile application—created by NIELET Kolkata, serving as the technical partner for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Demonstrations were conducted on the usage of these tools, aimed at enhancing ease of data collection and processing.

The Agricultural Census, which collects data on the size of agricultural holdings and the number of operational holders, is a large-scale statistical operation vital for understanding agricultural dynamics at both national and regional levels. The current census, initiated in 2021-22, represents a pioneering step with the integration of digital tools, moving away from traditional pen-and-paper methods to an Android-based application and a web-based system for real-time data collection and dissemination.