Kharagpur (West Bengal) [India], May 30 (ANI): West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on Saturday took an indirect swipe at the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, alleging that a lack of coordination and widespread irregularities marked its tenure, while asserting that the newly formed administration had cleared the way for the long-pending Census exercise in the state.

Speaking to reporters here, Ghosh claimed that governance under the previous dispensation was riddled with scams and administrative failures, which, he alleged, delayed key national exercises such as the Census.

'When a party lacks coordination, fraud happens. There must have been countless scams and illegal acts. Leaders, ministers, and officials were all fraudulent, yet the government ran for fifteen years and ruled Bengal. Census work in Bengal was blocked. In the first cabinet meeting, we approved it. Now the census will begin,' Ghosh said.

His remarks came a day after the West Bengal government announced preparations for Census 2027, which will be conducted with a strong focus on digital technology, public participation and data accuracy.

The state government has described the Census as a Constitutional obligation and a crucial exercise for evidence-based policymaking, planning and resource allocation. According to officials, the state cabinet approved the necessary arrangements for the Census during its meeting held on May 11, 2026.

The Census exercise holds particular significance for West Bengal due to its more than 600-kilometre international border, making accurate demographic data essential for governance, development planning and monitoring.

As per the announced schedule, the reference date for Census 2027 has been fixed as March 1, 2027. The process will begin in August 2026 and will introduce digital self-enumeration for the first time in India's Census history.

Citizens will be able to submit their details online through a dedicated self-enumeration portal without waiting for enumerators to visit their homes. The self-enumeration phase will be conducted from August 1 to August 14, 2026, followed by the House Listing Operations phase from August 16 to September 14, 2026.

Officials said several digital platforms and mobile applications have been developed to facilitate the exercise, including the Self-Enumeration Portal, Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS), HLO Mobile App and HLBC Mobile App.

A dedicated state portal and a toll-free helpline have also been launched to assist residents throughout the process.

Authorities said the digital Census framework is expected to improve data accuracy, increase public participation, enhance convenience for citizens and significantly reduce the time required for data collection and processing.

The mascots for Census 2027, 'Vikas' and 'Pragati,' were also unveiled, symbolising development and progress. (ANI)