Telangana Assembly resolution calls for nation-wide caste survey

Hyderabad, Feb 4 (IANS) The Telangana Assembly passed a resolution urging the government of India to conduct caste survey across the country. 

The state government tabled the report of the caste survey conducted in the state during the special session on Tuesday. After a heated debate on the report, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy moved a resolution, which was passed by voice vote.

Opposition parties raised doubts over findings of the caste survey. Main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) wanted to know how the population of backward classes came down to 56.33 per cent from 61 per cent in 2014 as per the integrated household survey.

The BRS demanded that the Congress party implement its poll promise to provide 42 per cent reservation to backward classes.

The debate on the report saw heated arguments between the treasury and opposition benches.

Both BRS and BJP slammed the Congress government over the discrepancies in the caste survey report compared to the findings of integrated household survey conducted by then BRS government.

The Chief Minister wanted to know why BRS did not table the report of integrated household survey. He lashed out at BRS leaders for not participating in caste survey.

He said 3.54 crore people participated in the survey and gave all details but BRS leaders like KCR, KTR and Harish Rao were afraid to share details of their lands.

Earlier, presenting the report, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said that no official information regarding the weaker sections was available in the country so far which was proving a hurdle in implementing reservation.

He said enumeration of the weaker sections was not conducted in India after 1931. The details of weaker sections were included in the national census report. He alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre has no intention to give weaker sections their due rights.

Congratulating all those who worked hard to prepare the Caste census report, the Chief Minister said this became a role model for the country.

He recalled that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had made the promise during the Bharat Jodo Yatra that the caste census would be conducted in Telangana. Soon after the Congress came to power, the people's government fulfilled the promise by adopting a resolution in Assembly to conduct caste census.

He said the official process for caste census was completed in a record time and the report was presented in the Assembly today. Enumerators collected details in every village and Tanda meticulously.

He said 150 houses have been identified as a unit and the enumerators are assigned to collect the details. The Chief Minister said that 76,000 data entry operators worked hard for 36 days to compile the data. The government spent Rs 160 crore to prepare the report by adopting strict measures.

The government tabled the caste survey report in the assembly after the state Cabinet gave its nod.

The Chief Minister assured the Assembly that government is committed to ensure social justice. He said the Congress would give due respect to the backward classes by providing 42 per cent seats in local body elections.

Revanth Reddy said the government would use the data of the caste survey in implementation of welfare schemes.

The caste survey report revealed that the BCs account for 56.33 percent of the state’s population, of whom 10.08 per cent are Backward Class Muslims.

According to the report of Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste Survey, 17.43 per cent of the population are Scheduled Castes (SCs), 10.45 per cent Scheduled Tribes (STs) and 12.56 per cent Muslims, of which 2.48 per cent are Other Caste (OC) Muslims.

The OCs make up 13.31 percent of the total population.

The comprehensive door-to-door household survey covered 3,54,77,554 people and 1,12,15,134 families.

The government said 96.9 per cent of the households in the state were covered during the 50-day long survey. According to the report, 16 lakh people (3.1 per cent) opted out due to various reasons. The enumerators found 1.03 lakh houses locked. As many as 1.68 lakh families were hesitant to participate.

--IANS

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