Hyderabad, February 4: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has presented the Telangana caste census report in the Assembly, emphasising its role in promoting the welfare of backward communities. He described the survey as a landmark effort to gather precise socio-economic data, addressing long-standing gaps in reservation policies.
The survey, conducted over 50 days starting November 9, covered 1.12 crore families, with a participation rate of 96.9%. The final findings indicate that BCs constitute 46.25% of the state’s population, while OCs stand at 17.79%, SCs at 17.43%, STs at 10.45%, and BC minorities at 10.08%.
Revanth Reddy noted that since the 1931 Census, there has been no official caste-based enumeration at the national level, making it difficult to implement effective reservation policies. He recalled that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had promised a caste survey during the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, and after the party came to power in Telangana, the government swiftly passed a resolution in the Assembly to initiate the survey.
The enumeration process was carried out meticulously, with each unit of 150 households assigned an enumerator. A dedicated workforce of 76,000 data-entry operators worked for 36 days to compile the report, with an overall expenditure of Rs 160 crore. After receiving Cabinet approval, the final report was tabled in the Assembly.
Revanth Reddy asserted that the survey aims to provide due recognition and respect to the backward class population, which makes up 56% of the state. He congratulated the officials and teams involved in completing what he called an exemplary document that could serve as a model for the nation.
