Telangana Assembly passes resolution asking Centre to conduct nationwide caste survey

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Hyderabad, Feb 4 (PTI) The Telangana Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Tuesday, urging the Centre to emulate the household caste and socioeconomic survey conducted by the state government.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy moved the resolution assuring that the state government is committed to the development of Backward Classes, SCs and STs and other marginal sections.

Earlier during a debate on a statement made by the CM on the salient points of the survey, Revanth Reddy informed the house that the Congress party will put pressure to conduct the survey nationwide, on the Centre through the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi by raising it in the Parliament.

Reddy said, as assured by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, the survey was conducted, and that too within one year of time.

Observing that a constitutional amendment is required to provide 42 per cent reservations to Backward Classes as per law (which leads to breaching the 50 per cent cap on quotas), Reddy said the Congress would provide a 42 per cent quota for Backward Classes in the upcoming local body elections in the state.

Before the 2023 assembly polls, the Congress had promised to increase the backward class reservations in local bodies to 42 per cent.

Earlier, Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar adjourned the House till 2 pm, after the government requested the presiding officer, citing an incomplete cabinet meeting.

Soon after the session began, Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu informed the Speaker that the cabinet meeting was still going and it would take some more time to prepare the minutes of the meeting.

The state cabinet met on Tuesday morning to deliberate on the caste survey conducted in the state, before presenting it to the Assembly for discussion.

However, the BRS legislators found fault with the treasury benches, alleging that the government’s acts amounted to "insulting" the House.

Former Minister and senior BRS senior leader Prashanth Reddy said it is surprising that the House was adjourned without taking up any business.

"It has never happened in history. The situation is nothing but insulting the members and the House," Reddy said.

He said the government had informed that the cabinet meeting would be held at 10 am and the session would commence at 11 am.

The state planning department, which conducted the caste survey, submitted its report to the cabinet sub-committee headed by Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on February 2.

According to the caste survey, Backward Classes, excluding Muslim minorities, form the largest group, constituting 46.25 per cent of Telangana’s total 3.70 crore population.

The BC population is followed by Scheduled Castes at 17.43 per cent, Scheduled Tribes at 10.45 per cent, Backward Classes among Muslims at 10.08 per cent, Other Castes at 13.31 per cent, and OCs among Muslims at 2.48 per cent. PTI GDK SSK SSK ROH