Prime Minister Modi’s call for district-level GDP is welcomed, but the authors stress the necessity of a "bottom-up" data collection approach. The current "top-down" method significantly undercounts economic activity, particularly in the vital informal sector, evidenced by a Uttar Pradesh pilot study showing nearly double the value using a bottom-up method. This underestimation risks flawed policymaking. States must lead in building subnational statistical capacity, gathering data directly from local enterprises and workers. Divergences from national figures should be embraced as genuine reflections of ground-level reality, not failures. This will truly transform regional development understanding.