Telanaga Congress govt moves resolution for caste census

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy-led Congress government in Telangana has moved a resolution in the state assembly to conduct a caste survey in the state. The resolution was one of the key poll promises of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Tabling the motion in the state assembly, tribal minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that the government aims to take up comprehensive door-to-door household survey for assessing social, economic, educational, employment, political, and caste status of the people with a special focus on the backward classes.

“The House resolves to take up comprehensive door-to-door household survey (socio, economic, educational, employment, political and caste survey of entire Telangana (Kulaganana)) so as to plan and implement various socio, economic, educational, employment and political opportunities for the amelioration of socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and SC and ST mandated under Clause (4) and (5) of Article 15, Clause (4) of Article 16, Articles 38 and 39, Clause (6) of Article 243D and Clause (6) of Article 243T of the Indian Constitution,” the resolution tabled by Backward Classes Welfare and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said, according to The Hindu newspaper.

The minister said that the Congress government’s commitment for the welfare of the backward classes, adding that ghe Government would take cooperation of all the stakeholders including political parties, backward classes leaders and experts for finalising the modalities for taking up the caste survey.

“This is not a secret exercise and will take up the exercise in a transparent manner. There is no scope for any doubts in the caste survey for the conduct of which we have decided to allot ₹150 crore in principle. Funds will not be a criterion for the exercise as the Government will increase the allocation whenever necessary,” he said.

If implemented, Telangana would become the second Indian state after Bihar to have launched such a massive survey.