Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi hails ‘historical milestone’ of Kalpakkam nuclear reactor, strides in wind energy

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. – Photo Credit: Reuters

During his Mann ki Baat address, the Prime Minister also urged citizens to take part in the ongoing Census 2027 enumeration process.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday April 26, 2026 hailed the achievement of criticality in the nuclear fast breeder reactor in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, as a “historic milestone in India’s nuclear energy journey”.

During his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ address, the Prime Minister focussed on India’s nuclear and renewable energy efforts, as well as on various nature conservation initiatives being undertaken across the country.

He also urged citizens to take part in the Census 2027 enumeration process, saying the data collected was “completely secure, kept confidential, and protected with digital security”.

Nuclear pride
“India’s Civil Nuclear Programme has greatly helped everyone from agriculture to modern innovators,” . Modi said. “Friends, just a few days ago, our nuclear scientists enhanced India’s pride with another major achievement. The Fast Breeder Reactor in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, has achieved criticality.”

He further explained that ‘criticality’ is the stage in which a reactor successfully executes a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction for the first time.

“This stage signifies the reactor entering the operational phase,” Prime Minister Modi said. “This is a historic milestone in India’s nuclear energy journey. And importantly, this nuclear reactor is built entirely with indigenous technology.”

Strides in wind energy
The Prime Minister also spoke about India’s wind energy sector, saying that the country has recently achieved a major milestone with wind energy generation capacity exceeding 56 gigawatts (GW). He said that, in the last one year, about 6 GW of new capacity has been added.

“India is progressing rapidly in wind energy and the world is also looking towards us,” he asserted. “Today India ranks fourth in the world in wind energy capacity. This is the hard work of our engineers, this is the diligence of our youth, this is a symbol of the collective willpower of the nation.”

PM Modi noted that several States in India such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, are leading the charge in this sector.

“In areas like Kutch, Patan, and Banaskantha in Gujarat, where previously only deserts were visible, large renewable energy parks are now being built,” he said. “Youth are benefiting from this, creating new opportunities, developing new skills, and opening up new avenues for employment.”

Crucial census
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke about the Census 2027 data collection process underway in the country, calling it the world’s largest census.

“Friends, the national census is not just a government job,” he said. “It is the responsibility of all of us. Your participation is crucial. The information you provide is completely secure, kept confidential, and protected with digital security. Let us all participate in this process. Make Census 2027 a success.”

He further explained that Census 2027 has been made digital, with all information recorded directly in digital form by workers going door-to-door using a mobile app.

“This time your participation in the census has also been made easier; you can enter your information yourself,” PM Modi explained. “This facility will open for you 15 days before the worker’s arrival. You can enter the information as per your convenience. When you complete the process, you receive a special ID . This ID will be sent to your mobile or email. Later, when the worker visits your home, you can verify the information by showing this ID.”

This process, he added, eliminates the need to enter information again, thereby saving time and simplifying the process.

“In states where self-enumeration has been completed, census staff have also begun the work of listing households,” Narendra Modi said. “So far, the house listing of approximately 12 million families has been completed.”