Telangana Assembly Calls for Nationwide Caste Survey
The Telangana Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution urging the Central Government to conduct a caste survey across India. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy stated that the caste survey recently completed in Telangana would serve as a strong example to push the Centre for similar surveys nationwide. He added that the Congress party would raise this demand during the ongoing budget session of Parliament.
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During a special Assembly session, the Chief Minister pointed out that the population of Backward Classes (BCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and minorities had grown in Telangana. The survey in the state began on November 6, 2024, and was completed within 50 days, ending on December 25. Out of the 1,15,71,457 households originally listed, 1,12,15,134 households were surveyed, achieving 96.9% coverage. However, 3,56,323 households could not be surveyed, primarily in urban areas like Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
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The survey gathered data on 3,54,77,554 individuals in the state. Among these, SCs accounted for 61,84,319 people (17.43%), while STs made up 37,05,929 (10.45%). The Backward Classes (excluding Muslim minorities) numbered 1,64,09,179 (46.25%). Muslim minorities totaled 44,57,012 (12.56%), with BC Muslim minorities making up 35,76,588 (10.08%) and OC Muslim minorities accounting for 8,80,424 (2.48%). Other Castes (OCs) represented 56,01,539 individuals (15.79%), with OCs excluding Muslim minorities at 47,21,115 (13.31%).
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Chief Minister Revanth Reddy emphasized that the data collected through the survey would be instrumental in creating policies tailored to benefit weaker sections of society. “This initiative shows our commitment to equitable growth and meeting the diverse needs of Telangana’s people. It marks a new era of governance based on data, inclusivity, and transparency,” he stated.
