Telangana Forms Independent Committee to Analyze Caste Survey Findings
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Synopsis
The Telangana government has set up an independent committee of sociologists to analyze the caste survey data meticulously. Led by Justice Sudershan Reddy, the committee aims to ensure accuracy and address concerns from opposition parties regarding the survey's findings.
Key Takeaways
- Independent advisory committee formed by Telangana government.
- Committee focuses on socio-economic analysis of caste survey.
- Justice Sudershan Reddy appointed as committee head.
- Survey covered over 3.54 crore individuals.
- Concerns raised by opposition parties addressed with new survey.
Hyderabad, March 7 (NationPress) The government of Telangana has established an independent advisory committee consisting of sociologists to meticulously examine the data from the recently undertaken caste survey in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka announced that the committee, filled with sociologists and intellectuals, has been formed to scrutinize the social, educational, economic, employment, political, and caste-related aspects of the survey.
He emphasized the need for these experts to analyze the survey data thoroughly, ensuring that not even the slightest error is overlooked.
The Deputy Chief Minister convened a meeting with committee members at the State Secretariat on Friday.
Former High Court judge Justice Sudershan Reddy will lead the committee, with retired professor Kancha Ilaiah serving as Vice-Chairman and Praveen Chakravarty acting as the convenor.
Committee members include Sukhdev Thorat, retired professor Purshottam Reddy, Shantha Sinha, Professor Himanshu, and Professor Bhukya Bhangya. Notably, social scientist and activist Jean Dreze will join as a special invitee.
The Deputy Chief Minister requested the committee to present its report to the Planning Department within a month.
He highlighted that the caste survey was executed under the guidance of Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. The state government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, conducted the survey aiming to implement measures for social justice.
To prevent any discrepancies and ensure clarity, an independent analysis of the caste survey report was deemed necessary by the committee of distinguished intellectuals.
The comprehensive door-to-door survey spanned 3,54,77,554 individuals and 1,12,15,134 families over 50 days during November-December 2024.
On February 4, the government presented the survey findings in the Assembly, disclosing that 96.9 percent of households in the state participated, while around 16 lakh individuals (3.1 percent) opted out for various reasons.
In response to concerns raised by opposition parties about the data's accuracy, the government initiated an additional survey last month to include those who missed the earlier participation.
Individuals who were unable to take part were encouraged to share their details with enumerators.
The opposition criticized the decline in the Backward Classes population from 61 percent (including Muslim Backward Classes) in the 2014 integrated household survey to 56.33 percent in the caste survey conducted in November-December 2024.
The caste survey report indicated that Backward Classes make up 56.33 percent of the state's population, which includes 10.08 percent as Backward Class Muslims.
According to the survey results, Scheduled Castes (SCs) account for 17.43 percent of the population, Scheduled Tribes (STs) for 10.45 percent, and Muslims for 12.56 percent, with 2.48 percent categorized as Other Caste (OC) Muslims. The OBCs represent 13.31 percent of the total population.
