Telangana Caste Census: Govt offers second chance, public can call surveyors to visit home, says Bhatti

Hyderabad: The Telangana State government has decided to provide an opportunity for those who did not furnish their details in the caste census survey conducted earlier, said deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikarmarka Mallu.

Speaking to the media at Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat here on Wednesday, Bhatti said around 3.1 per cent of the population in Telangana did not participate in the recently concluded caste census survey due to various reasons.

‘Public can phone surveyors to come home from February 16 to 28'

Keeping this in mind and following the requests from the public, the survey would be conducted once across the State by the enumerators from February 16 to 28.

“If the public calls the toll-free number and requests that their information be registered, officers will visit the caller’s home and record the information needed. For the next 10 days, public administration officials will be available at mandal offices. Details can be registered there. The State government has decided to provide the opportunity to register family details online,” he said and called upon the public who did not participate in the earlier conducted survey to furnish their details to the enumerators.

Will pass the OBC reservation bill, says deputy CM

Taking a jibe at the Opposition parties for making unnecessary hue and cry over the caste census survey report, the deputy chief minister has asked BRS party chief K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and his son KT Rama Rao (KTR), other BRS and BJP leaders to furnish their details to the enumerators during the caste census survey.

“The State government is committed to providing 42 per cent reservation to OBCs. We will make BCs’ decades-old dream come true and pass the OBC reservation bill in the Assembly and put it in the Parliament. The OBC reservation bill will be passed in the Assembly in the first week of March,” Bhatti said and added that everyone’s wish is to provide 42 per cent reservation for OBCs.

The deputy chief minister further stated that a group led by chief minister A Revanth Reddy will travel to Delhi, involving representatives from all political parties.

“We will meet with the prime minister and other party leaders to appeal. We will unite political parties from throughout the country to pass the OBC reservation bill in the Parliament. We will bring together the political forces,” he said.

Caste survey in other states

Bhatti also stated that if the caste enumeration is successful in the State, it will have to be replicated across the country, and they are demanding a re-survey.

"A complete scientifically comprehensive house-to-house survey was undertaken in the State with over one lakh personnel, unlike anywhere else in the country. CM Revanth Reddy indicated that the number of any group in the State is enormous, citing figures in the Legislative Assembly and that a discussion was held as well," he said.

Bhatti appealed to political parties, social activists, intellectuals and people to come together for the approval of the bill to provide reservations to OBCs and gather support. The OBCs constitute 56 per cent of the State’s population, he added.

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, chief secretary A Santhi Kumari, Planning Department principal secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania and others participated.