PM Modi hails Kalpakkam nuclear reactor in Mann Ki Baat, urges Census participation

PRime government minister Narendra Modi, in his 133rd horace mann Ki Baat on dominicus, highlighted recent developments in bharat’s atomic and renewable energy sectors, calling the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Tamil Nadu’s Kalpakkam achieving first criticality on April 6 a “historic milestone” for the country’s civil nuclear programme.Criticality marks the start of a controlled fission chain reaction in the reactor core. Though it will take some more time for commercial operation to produce electricity, it is a step towards successfully operationalising the second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear programme.He said the reactor has been built using indigenous technology and described breeder reactors as systems that can generate energy while also producing new fuel.This comes in the backdrop of the SHANTI Bill, 2025 — Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India — passed by Parliament in December 2025. The bill marks an overhaul of India’s nuclear energy laws. It replaces older laws from 1962 and 2010 and opens up nuclear power to private and foreign participation. By streamlining licensing processes, strengthening regulatory structures, and enabling broader participation in nuclear infrastructure development under defined safeguards, the SHANTI Act 2025 creates the institutional conditions necessary for scaling advanced nuclear technologies through both public and private sector engagement.On governance, PM Modi spoke about preparations for Census 2027, which will be conducted digitally. Citizens will have the option to self-enumerate using an app before enumerators visit households, he said, adding that over one crore households have already been covered in initial listing exercises.“Census 2027 has been made digital… you can enter your information yourself,” PM Modi said.Speaking on renewable energy, he said India’s installed wind power capacity has crossed 56 gigawatts (GW), with about 6 GW added in the past year. “India now ranks fourth globally in wind energy capacity,” he said, citing states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan as key contributors.He also mentioned India’s performance at the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, where the country ranked sixth, and noted the growing global recognition of Indian cheese varieties following international awards.Modi closed by recalling historical and cultural milestones, including the upcoming birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and the legacy of the 1857 uprising, while urging citizens to participate actively in national initiatives like the census.