Telangana govt initiates process of revising Backward Classes list

Hyderabad: The Telangana state government has initiated the process of revising the list of Backward Classes, an exercise being undertaken after a decade. The government feels that several welfare schemes being implemented by the Central and state governments were reaching only a few sections.

At present, Backward Castes divided into four categories — A,B,C and D. The fifth category E relates to the Muslims. The Telangana state government wants to increase the first four categories to six or eight to ensure the equitable distribution of reservations and benefits of welfare schemes to all BCs.

The government recently constituted the BC Commission and the task of undertaking revision has been assigned to it. The commission will undertake a detailed study over what percentage of reservation benefits in education and employment were availed by each BC caste in the past two decades and recommend measures over how to ensure equitable quota and benefits for all castes in BCs.

At present, there are 112 castes categorised into five were notified by state government under BCs, who together have 29 per cent reservations Category-A has seven per cent quota, B 10 per cent, C one per cent, D 7 per cent and E 5 per cent.

Minister for BC welfare Jogu Ramanna said the commission will take up a scientific study on the categorisation of castes and quota benefits availed by each section.

“A thorough study is required to detect anomalies if any. This will give scope for government to correct the anomalies and ensure equitable benefits to all sections in BCs,” the minister told this newspaper.