Telangana Caste Census: What you need to know

Hyderabad: The Telangana caste census is scheduled to begin on November 6 and will be executed based on 56 parameters. The parameters will consider the economic, educational, employment, social and political status of each family in the State.

85,000 government employees to participate in the survey

The Government of Telangana has assigned the task of conducting the door-to-door survey to 85,000 enumerators. Each enumerator is required to complete 150 homes in a day. The enumerators will be assigned one locality each day. The Congress workers have been directed by the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) to ensure that all people of the State participate in the survey by providing their details.

How will the survey be implemented?

The employees conducting the survey are required to fill in 56 parameters for each family member. They have also been given a list of different castes enlisted with the government over the years, which includes various groups belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and those in the economically weaker sections.

The details provided by every individual and household have to be backed with government certificates.

What are the details of the caste census?

The caste census will include details such as:

- Education qualifications of family members including type of schooling in the family

- Details of annual income and bank details

- Ages of males and females in the family at the time of marriage

- Ages of children

- Employment status which includes employment in government, semi-government and/or private sector

- Business including real estate, manufacturing industry, service and/or other sectors

- Making note of caste-based work i.e. those who carry out works based on their caste.

Landowners need to show ownership details

Those who own lands should furnish details by showing their Dharani passbook number and listing the number of acres they own. They also need to provide details about the type of land.

Those in the business of poultry and farm animals have to disclose the terms of their ownership.

Understanding reservation benefits

Those already in the reservation category should list the government benefits they have been given. These benefits will be calculated for education, jobs, schemes, and other government programs.

Migration from Telangana

Those who have migrated from Telangana to other States or out of the country have to mention the reason for migration.

Home loans and housing

Those who have taken loans in the last five years should mention the reason for taking loans.

A category regarding housing will be filled to understand how many in the State own homes and how many stay in rented ones. The details will include the type of house, the number of rooms and whether they own it or have taken on rent. Families will also be asked to list the number of vehicles the family owns and other assets.

Cataloguing inter-caste marriages

Another important aspect of the survey is to check the families in the State whose members who have had an inter-caste marriage. They will also be asked about their feelings regarding their inclusion or exclusion in society.

This is an important factor as it will determine the health of the society. There is also a special column to understand whether people have been invited for inter-caste marriages or functions of other castes.

Those still indulging in manual scavenging jobs must state the same to the enumerator as it is important for the government to understand whether these jobs are still being performed, despite there being a ban on the same.

The families can also point out their issues about water and sanitation in their areas.

Congress workers and control room

The Congress party has set up a control room in Gandhi Bhavan to monitor the survey and make it easy for workers to give them feedback. Congress workers will be on the ground to guide people to fill out the forms and give details so that the right picture of the society can be enumerated.

The TPCC has invited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to attend the meeting organised by the party on caste census on November 5.

TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud said, “The State unit is taking suggestions from stakeholders on the caste survey. There are already representations also made to the BC commission by various stakeholders.”