Sat Nov 02 22:15:00 UTC 2024: ## Telangana Embarks on Comprehensive Socio-Economic and Caste Census
**Hyderabad, November 3, 2024:** The Telangana government has launched a comprehensive socio-economic, educational, political, and caste census, beginning on November 6th. This ambitious initiative aims to create a detailed database of all households in the state, gathering information on their social, financial, and educational status, along with caste details.
The census, spanning eight weeks, will involve over 80,000 enumerators and 10,000 supervisors, surveying every household across Telangana. The data collection, primarily digital, will be followed by a rigorous verification process to ensure accuracy.
This move is driven by the need for a scientific and accurate understanding of the population, particularly the Backward Classes (BCs), who have historically lacked concrete data. The census is expected to provide a basis for equitable policymaking, particularly in terms of reservations in local body elections.
The initiative has been met with hope by artisans like Pochampally Komuraiah, a potter from Bhupathipur village. He, like many others, hopes that the survey will lead to much-needed government intervention and support for traditional occupations.
Similar hopes are expressed by toddy tappers like Burra Srinivas Goud, who believe that the census will provide crucial data for the implementation of welfare measures targeting weaker sections.
The Telangana government has allocated ₹150 crore for the census, with the data collection process expected to take three weeks, followed by an additional three weeks for compiling explanatory notes, revisiting missing households, and distributing completed questionnaires.
The census is also seen as a crucial step in implementing the Supreme Court’s recent approval to categorise Scheduled Castes (SCs) into A, B, C, and D groups. The government has formed a Cabinet sub-committee to work out the modalities for this categorization, for which the caste census data will be instrumental.
While the 2014 Samagra Kutumba survey was criticised for its rushed timeline and exclusion of certain sections, the current census is being conducted with a more comprehensive approach and a longer timeframe, aiming to gather accurate data and address the gaps identified in the previous survey.
The Telangana government believes this comprehensive census will provide a valuable foundation for targeted interventions and equitable policies aimed at uplifting all sections of the population.
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