Hyderabad, February 4: Transport & BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has defended the state’s caste census, calling it a historic and groundbreaking move for social justice. Speaking in the Assembly, he emphasized that the survey’s data would be instrumental in shaping future welfare policies for marginalized communities.
Prabhakar addressed concerns raised by opposition parties, stating that the caste census was conducted thoroughly by a team of one lakh government employees. He argued that this was the first time in decades that such comprehensive caste data had been gathered, as no official caste-based records had been updated since 1931.
“Until now, there was no official record of the population of backward classes. With this census, we now have factual data, which will help in the implementation of policies and reservations,” he said. He expressed gratitude to citizens, social organizations, and intellectuals who contributed to the process.
The minister stated that future government programs and reservation policies would be based on this official caste data, rather than estimates or assumptions. He questioned opposition parties’ claims that the BC population had declined, arguing that no prior census existed for comparison.
Prabhakar reiterated that the Congress government had conducted the survey with transparency and fairness to ensure justice for weaker sections. “If there are suggestions for improvement, we welcome them. But politicizing this issue is unnecessary,” he said.
