The J&K government has warned the employees that refusal, negligence, or dereliction of Census duties during ongoing Census-2027 operations may attract criminal prosecution, including imprisonment of up to three years. The House Listing Operation of Census 2027 has started across the UT from June 1 and will continue till June 30. The duties assigned to Census functionaries are statutory in nature and must be performed within the prescribed timelines. The circular warned that under Section 11 of the Census Act, 1948, any erring Census Officer (Enumerator or Supervisor) shall be liable to imprisonment up to three years and a fine up to Rs 1,000.
Eco-friendly themed garden developed
An eco-friendly themed garden has been developed at Srinagar’s Polo Ground Park using discarded and unused material. The initiative undertaken by the Floriculture Department aims to transform waste into attractive installations while enhancing the park’s aesthetic appeal. According to Director Floriculture Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom, the project was conceptualised to give a new lease of life to old materials lying unused in departmental gardens and government offices. Various discarded items have been creatively repurposed into decorative structures and planters, turning waste into valuable assets. The garden features unique attractions.
Boost to population as fertility rate rises
J&K has registered a notable rise in its total fertility rate (TFR) after years of decline, according to the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) 2023–24. The survey reveals that the TFR increased from 1.4 children per woman in NFHS-5 (2019–21) to 1.8 children per woman in NFHS-6 (2023–24), marking an increase of 0.4 children per woman over the period. The latest figures mark a reversal of the declining trend observed in the UT over the past decade. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Economic Survey 2024–25, the TFR stood at 1.6 in NFHS-4 (2015–16) before falling to 1.4 in NFHS-5.
Fayaz wani
Our correspondent in Jammu and Kashmir
fayazwani123@gmail.com