Telangana to conduct mega caste survey from Nov 6; 80,000 govt employees to be roped in

Telangana will undertake a mammoth social economic and caste survey, a pet project of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, from November 6, deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka announced on Tuesday.

"This socio-economic survey will inform policies and uplift marginalized communities starting on November 6th," the Congress leader said on X.

Vikramarka, who earlier attended a video conference of ministers with district collectors, called upon officials to conduct the survey without any margin for error.

Also read: Telangana government to develop Bapu Ghat in Hyderabad

CM for Rahul as PM

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had said on October 30: “The caste census is like a mega health check-up camp for all castes. The departments concerned have to complete the work by the end of this month.”

He added that the Telangana model would make Rahul Gandhi a future prime minister of India.

Telangana’s backward classes welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar had said in October that the survey was expected to start from November 4-5 and it was likely to be completed by November 30.

The exercise is being done in line with Rahul Gandhi's pledge to conduct a caste survey in the state and also across India.

Also read: Telangana BC Commission beings public hearings as part of caste survey

Govt employees to be roped in

According to the Telangana government, some 80,000 government employees will be roped in for conducting the survey. They will be trained for this.

An official statement quoted Vikramarka as saying that the collectors can use the services of teachers as enumerators in the survey.

But other officials have said that teachers would be used sparingly for the census work so as not to disturb teaching in schools.

Government staff from other departments would be dominantly asked to do the survey, one official said.

Public hearings for census

The Telangana Commission for Backward Classes has begun public hearings to receive representations from interested parties.

The Commission would recommend the percentage of reservations for backward classes in local bodies based on the data.