Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government is launching the caste census on Wednesday. Its main objective is to ensure welfare of the people belonging to SCs, STs, BCs, Minorities and the poor from upper castes.
BC welfare minister Venugopala Krishna told the media in Kakinada on Tuesday that the caste census would be taken up as a pilot project in five village/ward secretariat limits. “The survey would be extended to the entire state after incorporating certain changes, based on the feedback we get from the pilot project.”
Senior IAS officers from departments like planning, BC, SC, minority and social welfare would monitor the caste census exercise. Joint collectors are the nodal officers in the exercise and they would accept suggestions from intellectuals, representatives of caste groups and others on November 15 and November 16 at the district headquarters across the state.
He said a team of officials had been sent to Bihar to study the caste census there and submit a report. “We would be organising regional meets at five places in the state including Raja Mahendravaram and Kurnool on November 17, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada on November 20 and in Tirupati on November 24.”
The minister said the caste census would help provide welfare to all the targeted communities and help nearly 139 BC castes in particular.
