Telangana issues orders to conduct caste survey

Hyderabad: The Telangana government will undertake a comprehensive door-to-door household survey (socio, educational, economic, employment, political, and caste survey) of the entire state, it was announced on Friday.

A Government Order (GO) issued on Friday says the survey shall be completed within 60 days.

According to the GO issued by Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, the Planning Department has been designated as the nodal department to conduct the survey.

The GO mentioned the resolution passed by the state Assembly for conducting the survey as per the decision taken by the Council of Ministers.

“Government after careful consideration, hereby orders to take up a comprehensive door-to-door household survey (socio, educational, economic, employment, political and caste survey) of entire Telangana so as to plan and implement various socio, economic, educational, employment and political opportunities for the amelioration of Backwards Classes, SC and ST citizens of the state and other weaker sections of the state,” the GO read.

Meanwhile, the state Government has also constituted a one-man Commission of Inquiry to conduct a study on sub-classification within Scheduled Castes reserved categories and to examine various aspects associated with the issue.

The Government has appointed Dr Justice Shameem Akhter, former judge of the Telangana High Court, as a one-man commission under the Commissions of Inquiry Act. The Scheduled Castes Development Department on Friday issued a Government Order in this regard.

The Commission has been asked to submit its report within 60 days.

The government constituted the commission on the recommendation of a committee constituted to study the judgement of the seven-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on the sub-classification within Scheduled Castes reserved categories. Headed by Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, the six-member committee on October 9 recommended the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry for sub-classification within Scheduled Castes reserved categories based on the Supreme Court judgment of August 1.