Revanth sets 60-day deadline for SC categorisation, caste census and BC survey

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has set a 60-day deadline (December 9) for the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the completion of the state's caste census.

In a high-level review meeting held at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Revanth Reddy directed officials to begin the caste census immediately and complete it within the set timeframe. This process will also encompass an enumeration of the social and economic status of Backward Classes (BCs).

The Chief Minister said that new recruitment notifications would only be issued after the completion of SC sub-categorisation in 60 days, which will be conducted in line with the Supreme Court's recent verdict. To facilitate this, Revanth Reddy announced the formation of a "One-Man Judicial Commission" led by a retired High Court judge to oversee the SC sub-categorisation process. The commission will be asked to submit its report within 60 days.

During the meeting, Revanth Reddy said that the state government will only release new job notifications after the commission’s report is submitted. This is to ensure that recruitment takes into account the revised reservations for SC sub-castes, based on the sub-categorisation. The commission will gather relevant information from all departments to ensure a comprehensive report.

The Cabinet Sub-Committee on SC Categorisation, represented by ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Damodara Rajanarasimha, Ponnam Prabhakar, and Seethakka, briefed the Chief Minister on the representations received by the sub-committee, as well as examples of SC categorisation in Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana.

The Chief Minister decided to use the 2011 Census as a basis for enumerating the SC population and instructed Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari to provide the commission with the necessary resources.

In addition to SC sub-categorisation, Revanth Reddy ordered the immediate commencement of a comprehensive social, economic, and caste survey for BCs.

Responding to a request from BC Commission chairman G. Niranjan, the Chief Minister assigned the state planning department the task of conducting the survey, ensuring proper coordination with the BC Commission through a senior IAS officer.

The Chief Minister instructed officials to complete the BC survey and submit the report by December 9. Following the completion of this survey, local body elections are expected to be held soon after determining the reservations for BCs.

State government adviser K. Kesava Rao, Chief Minister's Adviser Vem Narender Reddy, Advocate-General Sudarshan Reddy, and others participated in the meeting. The meeting also decided that the one-man commission would visit the undivided old 10 districts of the state, receiving appeals and complaints directly at the field level. This initiative aims to bring greater transparency and fairness to the reservation system, while addressing socio-economic disparities across various communities in Telangana.