Jammu: In recognition of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh’s experience in conducting digital Census operations across challenging geographical conditions, IAS officer Amit Sharma (IAS:2012:AGMUT) has been selected to lead an Indian delegation to Trinidad and Tobago for a technical assistance mission on Census preparedness.
Sharma, who is serving as Chief Principal Census Officer (CPCO) and Director of Census Operations and Director of Citizen Registration for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, has been nominated by the Government of India as a subject expert to lead the delegation. The visit, coordinated by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), is scheduled for the last week of November.
The mission aims to support Trinidad and Tobago in strengthening its preparations for the 2027 Census, scheduled to take place in March-April next year.
Indian Delegation to Visit Port of Spain
The Indian delegation will visit Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, where the country’s Central Statistics Office (CSO), with support from UNFPA, will organise technical sessions, discussions, field visits and interactions.
The delegation will comprise Amit Sharma and D. Helen Premakumari, Deputy Director General, Directorate of Census Operations, Karnataka, representing the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Office of the Registrar General of India (ORGI). Four officials from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will also be part of the team.
During the visit, the Indian officials will share the country’s experience, technical expertise and best practices in Census management, with particular emphasis on India’s first paperless Census. The discussions will also explore the possibilities of adapting India’s digital Census model to the requirements of Trinidad and Tobago.
Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh’s Digital Census Experience Gets Recognition
The selection of Amit Sharma recognises the experience gained by Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in conducting digital Census operations across difficult geographical conditions.
The regions have faced several challenges, including snowbound areas, hilly landscapes, inaccessible locations and the need to cover transhumance populations. Despite these challenges, digital Census preparations have been progressing with technology-driven approaches and administrative coordination.
Sharma has been leading the ongoing Census 2027 preparations in these challenging areas. His experience in managing Census operations across diverse terrains has been recognised by the Government of India and is considered relevant to the technical assistance mission.
Trinidad and Tobago Officials Had Earlier Visited India
The upcoming visit is part of a reciprocal technical assistance initiative. Officials from Trinidad and Tobago had earlier visited India to study the country’s Census and survey model.
The Indian delegation’s visit will provide an opportunity to share practical experiences, discuss technological solutions and strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the field of Census administration.
The exchange is expected to help Trinidad and Tobago assess India’s digital Census practices and identify approaches that could be adapted for its own national Census exercise in 2027.
Amit Sharma Expresses Gratitude to Government of India
Expressing gratitude for his selection, Amit Sharma thanked the Government of India, particularly Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, for nominating him to lead the important UNFPA-coordinated mission.
He expressed confidence that the Indian delegation, equipped with relevant facts, figures and practical experience, would facilitate meaningful discussions with officials of Trinidad and Tobago and contribute to strengthening the country’s preparations for the 2027 Census.
Who is IAS Amit Sharma?
Amit Sharma is a 2012-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer belonging to the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre. Born on October 22, 1977, he holds an MBA in Marketing and a postgraduate degree in Governance and Development.
Throughout his administrative career, Sharma has served in several positions across different Union Territories, handling responsibilities related to governance reforms, public administration, digital governance and citizen services.
He is currently serving in Mizoram as Special Secretary for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) and Cooperation. He also holds additional charge as Director of Census Operations and Director of Citizen Registration (DCO/DCR), Mizoram.
Earlier, he served as Director of Census Operations and Director of Citizen Registration for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. During his tenure, he was associated with Census-related preparations and technology-driven administrative initiatives aimed at improving public service delivery.
His experience in digital governance, Census administration and managing operations across geographically challenging regions forms an important part of his professional background for the upcoming international technical assistance mission.
Amit Sharma Thanks Government of India for the Nomination
Amit Sharma expressed gratitude to the Government of India for selecting him to lead the important UNFPA-coordinated technical assistance mission.
He particularly thanked Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, for the nomination.
Sharma expressed confidence that the Indian delegation, equipped with relevant facts, figures and practical experience, would facilitate meaningful interactions with officials of Trinidad and Tobago.
He also expressed hope that the mission would contribute to strengthening preparations for the Caribbean nation’s 2027 Census while promoting India’s digital Census practices at the international level.
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