Kolkata

West Bengal has completed 100 per cent of the fieldwork for the first phase of the Census, covering all 1,73,066 HLBs across the state ahead of the September 14 deadline, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Wednesday.

In a post on X, Adhikari described the achievement as a "proud and momentous milestone" for the state, crediting the administrative machinery for completing the exercise with "sheer dedication, meticulous planning and relentless effort".

According to the chief minister, all 1,73,066 Houselisting Blocks (HLBs) across every district, subdivision, block, municipal corporation and municipality have achieved complete coverage.

Over 3.68 crore census houses -- 3,68,30,150 -- have also been enumerated against a projected 3.69 crore, representing nearly 99.7 per cent of the expected households, he said.

Adhikari lauded the grassroots enumerators and supervisors who carried out the field exercise, saying they had walked miles in different weather conditions to reach households across the state's hills, plains and riverine areas.

He also expressed gratitude to district administrations, including district magistrates, sub-divisional officers, block development officers, municipal commissioners and in-charge officers, for their coordination and leadership during the exercise.

The chief minister thanked citizens for their "warm hospitality, patient cooperation, and proactive participation" in facilitating the enumeration.

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"When we work together with commitment and unity, West Bengal sets the standard for excellence," Adhikari said, while urging all those involved to continue the work.