Dehradun: Uttarakhand BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt raised the issue of Uttarakhand’s census and migration in Parliament, urging the Centre to formulate a special census policy for hill states ahead of the 2027 Census and launch an “Apni Ganana–Apna Gaon” (Our Census–Our Village) campaign.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Bhatt said that continuous migration from Uttarakhand’s hilly and border regions would prevent the actual population status of villages from being reflected through conventional census methods. This, he warned, could lead to lower population figures and adversely affect future allocations for education, healthcare, roads, and other development projects.
He said the depopulation of border villages is not only a developmental concern but also a matter of national security. Therefore, he argued, the census should be conducted as a people’s participation campaign rather than merely a government exercise.
Bhatt demanded that the 2027 Census include a separate policy for hill and border areas, maintain separate data for temporary migration and permanent residence, and ensure active participation of Gram Panchayats and local social organisations in the census process.
He added that if the “Apni Ganana–Apna Gaon” model proves successful in Uttarakhand, it could be replicated in other hill states across the country.
