Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged youngsters to actively participate in the ongoing Census 2027 by helping their families provide "accurate information" through the digital self-enumeration process.
Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Modi said accurate Census information is essential for shaping government policies, designing welfare programmes and planning the country's future.
"These days, the work of the Census is being carried out in the country. The process of collecting and counting information is underway. But simply counting numbers is not enough. This information is used to formulate policies and schemes, and prepare the country's roadmap for progress," he said.
Modi said the government representatives who come to collect information during the Census are sometimes in such a hurry that they may write a person's name with one spelling on one occasion and a different spelling on another, making it difficult to obtain accurate results.
"Now that technology is available, a decision has been made that you can also provide your Census information yourself digitally. ...Later, an official or representative may come to you, but you should take responsibility for ensuring that your family's information is accurate," he said.
The prime minister urged youngsters to sit with their family members, review the Census form carefully, correct any errors and then submit the information digitally.
"Just one or two hours of your time can give tremendous strength to the country....The more accurate the information you provide, the greater the help it will be for the country to move forward," he said.
"You may wonder what you can accomplish for the country in one or two hours. Let me tell you -- you can become a great source of strength for the nation. Therefore, an atmosphere of participation should be created in every household," he added.
Turning to civil defence, Modi announced plans to modernise the system to meet contemporary challenges and improve protection for citizens during crises.
"The civil defence systems that have been developed in our country have already undergone action. Therefore, today, from the Red Fort, I am announcing that in the coming days, we will modernise the civil defence system and introduce a modern framework," he said.
Modi said the government is going to develop a comprehensive civil defence programme, capable of addressing modern challenges and protecting citizens from contemporary crises.
(With inputs from PTI)
