'Mann Ki Baat': Modi urges participation in ongoing Census
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged citizens to participate in the ongoing Census, which is nearing completion across all states and union territories. In his latest Mann Ki Baat episode, he highlighted that 32 crore people have registered so far. He stressed the importance of accurate data collection for national development and asked people to fill out the online form with correct information.
Digital shift
First fully digital census
Modi explained in his broadcast that the Census helps India plan for its future, so every entry counts.
The Census 2027 is India's first fully digital census, with self-enumeration being a key feature.
Citizens can submit household details online in 16 languages through their mobile phones.
After submitting information, a special ID is generated, which can be shared with census enumerators for verification and record inclusion.
Rescheduled census
Rescheduled after COVID-19 delay
Originally scheduled for 2021, the decennial Census was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has now been rescheduled as Census 2027, India's first since 2011.
The exercise is being conducted in two phases: house-listing and housing census work from April to September 2026, followed by population enumeration in February 2027.
National duty
'Census is a national responsibility'
Modi reiterated that "the census is a national responsibility for all of us."
He also shared inspiring stories from Uttarakhand, where the process started in Mana village with 83-year-old Purnima Rawat.
In Bagori village in the Uttarkashi district, Hardev Singh Rana, who runs a homestay, self-registered his details digitally using the new facility.
Diverse topics
PM addresses drug abuse, sporting talent issues
Apart from the Census, Modi's address also touched upon other national issues.
He spoke about campaigns against drug abuse and promoting sporting talent through initiatives like Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan and Round Glass Hockey Academy.
The PM also highlighted local products boosting rural incomes under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, citing women-led self-help groups producing amla (Indian gooseberry) products in Uttar Pradesh.
Cultural impact
Growing international interest in Indian culture
Modi also spoke about growing international interest in Indian culture, citing Thailand-based Ganesha devotee Panthoun Thirkhanon and the Ganesha Himal Museum in Chiang Mai, which houses more than 10,000 Ganesha idols.
He recalled the 2016 surgical strike as a "new example" of India's counter-terrorism policy on its 10th anniversary on September 28.
The PM reiterated India's "zero-tolerance" approach to terrorism by recalling past attacks like those in Delhi and Mumbai in 2008.