Telangana govt's caste survey begins today

The government has imparted training to the personnel who will undertake the survey which is likely to conclude by the end of this month. State Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, who kicked off the survey at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal (GHMC) office, urged the citizens to furnish information to the enumerators without any apprehensions.

The information would remain confidential and the survey is aimed at removing inequalities and ensuring equal justice to all, said Prabhakar, incharge for GHMC. State IT Minister D Sridhar Babu said the survey would help the government chalk out plans for the welfare and development of various sections of society.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who attended a meeting organised by Telangana Congress on the caste survey on November 5, said he is fully committed to ensuring caste census in Telangana and in making the state a model for caste census in the country.

He said there could be some shortcomings in the state government's caste survey and these will be sorted out. Parallelly, the government has also appointed a one-man commission, headed by retired IAS officer Busani Venkateshwara Rao, to conduct an empirical inquiry for identification of backward classes for the purpose of reservations in local bodies.