Wed Nov 06 12:35:21 UTC 2024: ## Telangana to Conduct Caste Census, Following Karnataka’s Lead
**Hyderabad, India** – Telangana will become the second Congress-ruled state, after Karnataka, to conduct a caste census. This exercise, scheduled to take place from November 6th to 30th, aims to gather comprehensive socioeconomic data on all castes in the state.
The decision comes after the Telangana High Court ordered the formation of a new Backwards Castes commission to ensure quotas for backward communities in local body elections. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has already acted upon the court’s directives.
The census, which will involve 48,000 teachers and 85,000 enumerators and observers, will collect data on social, education, employment, economic, and political status of all castes. This will be done through door-to-door surveys conducted by government staff. Primary schools will operate for half-day throughout November to facilitate the census.
Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi will visit Telangana on November 5th to participate in a programme on caste census. Mr. Gandhi is expected to engage with associations, student organisations, and intellectuals to gather their perspectives on the matter.
The Congress party had made the caste census a key election promise in Telangana. During the campaign, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had stated that only a caste census could ensure justice for backward classes.
This move by the Telangana government marks a significant step towards understanding the socio-economic realities of different castes in the state, with the potential to inform policy decisions and address inequalities.
First Piper 