Synopsis
The Telangana government will present the caste survey report in the Assembly on February 4, revealing significant demographic insights, including that Backward Classes make up 56.33% of the population. The report is expected to lead to further discussions on reservation policies and social justice initiatives.Key Takeaways
- Telangana's caste survey reveals BCs comprise 56.33% of the population.
- Cabinet to approve the report before Assembly session.
- Resolution to urge constitutional amendment for reservation cap.
- Survey covered over 3.5 crore individuals and 1.12 crore families.
- 96.9% household participation was achieved.
Hyderabad, Feb 3 (NationPress) The government of Telangana is set to present the caste survey findings in the Assembly during a special session convened for February 4 (Tuesday).
Prior to the Assembly meeting, the state Cabinet will convene to endorse the caste survey report, which indicates that the Backward Classes (BCs) constitute 56.33% of the state's total population, with 10.08% identifying as BC Muslims.
Following discussions on the caste survey report, the Assembly is anticipated to pass a resolution requesting the Union government to revise the Constitution to surpass the 50% reservation limit established by the Supreme Court.
As per the Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste Survey, 17.43% of residents belong to Scheduled Castes (SCs), 10.45% are Scheduled Tribes (STs) and 12.56% are Muslims, of which 2.48% are classified as Other Caste (OC) Muslims. The OCs represent 13.31% of the overall population.
The extensive household survey, conducted door-to-door, engaged 3,54,77,554 individuals across 1,12,15,134 families. Of those surveyed, 50.51% were male while 49.45% were female.
In numerical terms, the Backward Classes (BC) population in the state stands at 1,99,85,767, which includes 35,76,588 BC Muslims. The SC population is 61,84,319 and the ST population is 37,05,929. The OC population in Telangana is 44,21,115, with the total Muslim population amounting to 44,57,012.
Officials reported that 96.9% of households participated in the 50-day-long survey, while 16 lakh individuals (or 3.1%) opted out for various reasons. Enumerators found 1.03 lakh houses locked, and 1.68 lakh families were reluctant to engage.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee, led by Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, reviewed the report and described the survey as historic, asserting that it establishes a foundation for comprehensive social justice.
Telangana is now the third state in India, following Bihar and Karnataka, to conduct a caste survey aimed at determining demographic distributions by caste. This initiative aligns with the proposal by prominent Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, advocating for “jitni abadi, utna haq” (rights proportional to population).
The caste survey was among the commitments made by Congress in its 2023 election manifesto for Telangana.
The survey was initiated by the state's Planning Department after a resolution was passed in the Assembly on February 4, 2024. “Exactly a year later, the Cabinet will approve the survey findings,” stated Uttam Kumar Reddy.
To carry out the survey, 94,863 enumerators and 9,628 supervisors were deployed across 94,261 enumeration blocks, with 76,000 data entry operators processing the information within 36 days.
