Garhwal Post Bureau
New Delhi, 31 Jul: BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt has raised in Parliament the need for a change in the census policy for Uttarakhand in view of the state’s unique geographical conditions and the continuing problem of migration. Stressing upon the need for an ‘Apni Ganna, Apna Gaon’ campaign in the state, he said that such a participatory census could prove effective in the revival of Uttarakhand. He urged the Centre to formulate a special mountain-specific model and policy for the 2027 Census, while also pointing out that the increasing abandonment of villages along the international borders was a matter of national security.
Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Bhatt reminded the Upper House of the geographical, social and demographic challenges faced by Uttarakhand and drew the attention of the Centre to the need for a special approach towards the forthcoming 2027 Census. He said that instead of conducting the census in the traditional manner in a mountainous and border state like Uttarakhand, it should be undertaken as a special people-centric campaign on the lines of ‘Apni Ganna, Apna Gaon’.
Addressing the House, Bhatt said the 2027 Census would form an important basis for development policies and allocation of resources across the country. However, he pointed out that the situation in Uttarakhand is different from that in most other states because of the large-scale migration from remote mountainous areas. If the census is conducted strictly through the conventional method, people who have temporarily moved to cities may end up being recorded at their places of temporary residence. This, he said, would result in the official population of villages being shown as much lower than their actual population and would consequently affect the allocation of resources and basic facilities such as schools, hospitals and roads in these areas.
Bhatt described the ‘Apni Ganna, Apna Gaon’ campaign as a new model for both national security and development and reminded that Uttarakhand is a strategically sensitive border state. He warned that if villages along the borders continue to become deserted and their actual demographic condition is not accurately reflected in official records, the issue would not remain confined to development but can also emerge as a serious challenge to national security.
He said the ‘Apni Ganna, Apna Gaon’ initiative should not be restricted to government employees and instead needs to be transformed into a people’s movement. Under the proposed model, accurate and ground-level data could be collected with the active participation of Gram Sabhas, volunteers and through mobile applications. He stressed that the actual status of migration, vacant houses, schools and healthcare facilities in the villages should be recorded separately so that the government could obtain a realistic picture of the condition of rural and border areas.
Bhatt also called for efforts to encourage every Uttarakhand resident to remain connected with their roots and ancestral villages. He said accurate data about the population and socio-economic condition of villages would be crucial for framing policies aimed at reversing migration and ensuring the continued habitation of remote and strategically important areas.
During his intervention, Bhatt placed several demands before the Centre regarding the census exercise. He specifically urged that the 2027 Census in Uttarakhand should be conducted and widely publicised as an ‘Apni Ganna, Apna Gaon’ initiative. He called for a special census policy for mountainous and border areas, keeping their geographical and demographic characteristics in mind. He also sought separate collection of data relating to temporary migration and the original place of residence so that the actual demographic position of Uttarakhand’s villages could be properly assessed.
