Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, stated today that the upcoming 2027 Census will provide a historic opportunity to recognize all 21 categories of disabilities through trained enumerators and significantly improved data collection. Speaking at the launch of India's first-ever handbook on disability for parliamentarians, titled "Beyond the Visible: A Handbook on Disability Inclusion for Parliamentarians," in New Delhi, the Minister said that accurate and disaggregated data will enable the government to design far more targeted and effective interventions for persons with disabilities across the country. Mr. Athawale added that the launch of the handbook will further promote the discussion on disability rights and inclusive policymaking in Parliament and public life. The Minister also highlighted several flagship initiatives of the central government, including the Accessible India Campaign, the Unique Disability ID portal, and skill development programs under PM-DAKSH.