Bengaluru, July 23 In a major development, Karnataka's Congress government on Wednesday announced that it will take up the fresh caste census exercise in the state from September 22 and will complete it by October 7, utilising the services of 1.65 lakh staffers.
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated on Wednesday that a decision in this regard has been taken at the preparatory meeting on the 'Social and Educational Survey', chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here.
"The survey must be scientific and transparent. Expert committee support should be sought to finalise the set of questions to be included. This time, around 1.65 lakh enumerators will be required for the survey. In addition to teachers, staff from other departments will also be deployed for the survey. All related departments must work in coordination to ensure the success of the survey," the Chief Minister stated in the meeting.
"It has been decided to conduct the survey over 15 days, from September 22 to October 7. The survey report must be submitted by the end of October," he said, instructing officials to begin preparatory activities, including training, immediately.
The Backward Classes Commission has submitted a proposal to the government to conduct a social and educational survey. As per the proposal, a survey covering all 7 crore people in the state will be carried out. The Chief Minister stated that the main objective of the survey is to eliminate caste-based discrimination, the CMO said.
A comprehensive survey should be conducted to assess the economic condition of every individual in the state, including land ownership. The survey report will serve as a foundation for preparing the upcoming state budget. This time, the survey must become a model for the entire country, Siddaramaiah told officials.
The survey must be conducted with utmost accuracy. Necessary precautions must be taken to prevent any scope for complaints. It must be ensured that no one is left out of the survey, he underlined in the meeting.
The Kantharaj Commission had earlier prepared 54 questions and conducted the survey manually. This time, there is a proposal to include additional aspects. The upcoming survey will be conducted using a mobile app. A study will be conducted on the ongoing social and educational survey in Telangana. It has been decided to form a high-level committee to oversee the survey process, CM Siddaramaiah told the meeting.
A specific plan must be developed and implemented to ensure the successful conduct of the survey in the Bengaluru urban area, he insisted.
Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission Chairman Madhu Sudan R. Naik, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, the Chief Minister’s legal advisor Ponnanna, and senior officials were present at the meeting, the CMO stated.
Following the directions from the high command, the initial caste census report, prepared at a cost of about Rs 160 crore, was junked by the Siddaramaiah government. Known as CM Siddaramaiah's pet project, the previous caste census report faced stiff opposition from the various communities, including the influential Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities.
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