Geotagging of Buildings in Census

Source: IE

Context: The 2027 Census of India will introduce geotagging of all buildings for the first time during Houselisting Operations.

About Geotagging of Buildings in Census:

• What it is?

• Geotagging is the process of assigning latitude–longitude coordinates to each building and mapping it on a Geographic Information System (GIS). It provides a precise digital identity to every structure in India.

• Geotagging is the process of assigning latitude–longitude coordinates to each building and mapping it on a Geographic Information System (GIS).

• It provides a precise digital identity to every structure in India.

• Launched in: To be carried out as part of Houselisting Operations (HLO), 2026, the first phase of Census 2027.

• Objective:

• To ensure accurate counting of buildings and households. To improve workload management for enumerators and remove discrepancies of manual sketch maps.

• To ensure accurate counting of buildings and households.

• To improve workload management for enumerators and remove discrepancies of manual sketch maps.

• How it works?

• Enumerators will visit assigned Houselisting Blocks (HLBs). They will use smartphones and Census mobile app with location enabled. Each building will be digitally marked and classified (residential, non-residential, mixed use, landmark). Data on Census Houses and Households will be recorded simultaneously.

• Enumerators will visit assigned Houselisting Blocks (HLBs).

• They will use smartphones and Census mobile app with location enabled.

• Each building will be digitally marked and classified (residential, non-residential, mixed use, landmark).

• Data on Census Houses and Households will be recorded simultaneously.

• Key Features:

• Digital Layout Mapping (DLM) replaces hand-drawn sketches used in earlier Censuses. Enumerators will use their own smartphones (unlike SECC 2011 where tablets were provided). Geotagging to be integrated with other Census datasets (population, socio-economic, cultural).

• Digital Layout Mapping (DLM) replaces hand-drawn sketches used in earlier Censuses.

• Enumerators will use their own smartphones (unlike SECC 2011 where tablets were provided).

• Geotagging to be integrated with other Census datasets (population, socio-economic, cultural).

• Significance:

• Accuracy – Reduces duplication and omission of houses. Efficiency – Helps in fair distribution of workload across 34 lakh+ enumerators. Policy Use – Enables better targeting of welfare schemes (housing, urban planning, rural development). Transparency – Provides verifiable geospatial data for governance.

• Accuracy – Reduces duplication and omission of houses.

• Efficiency – Helps in fair distribution of workload across 34 lakh+ enumerators.

• Policy Use – Enables better targeting of welfare schemes (housing, urban planning, rural development).

• Transparency – Provides verifiable geospatial data for governance.