Revanth faces challenges ahead of implementation of caste survey

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that the government had no say in the SC categorisation, which was done by the judicial commission, whose report was tabled in the assembly

- Srinivasa Rao Apparasu

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government, headed by chief minister A Revanth Reddy, and which has just completed the comprehensive socio-economic, educational, employment, political, and caste survey in the state assembly on February 4, is now facing the biggest challenge of implementing the same.

The government tabled the summary of the caste survey and also the one-man commission report on the categorisation of Scheduled Castes for extending reservations in education and employment, in the state assembly and council on February 4.

As per the caste survey, 56.33% of the state's 37 million population belong to the other backward classes (OBCs), including 10.08% of Muslim backward classes. Thus, the report puts the number of non-Muslim OBCs at 46.25% of the population.

On the other hand, the survey revealed that Scheduled Castes (SCs) make up 17.43% (618,400), while Scheduled Tribes (STs) account for 10.45% (370,500) of the population.

The report on SC sub-categorisation includes division of 59 castes into three groups - Group-I includes as many as 15 sub-castes, which are the most backward and neglected castes, accounting for 3.288% and the commission recommended that they should receive 1% reservation.

Similarly, Group-II consists of 18 moderately benefited sub-castes of SCs with a population of 62.748% and they would get 9% reservation; and Group-III includes as many as 26 better-benefited sub-castes of SCs accounting for 33.963% of the SC population and they should be allocated 5% quota.

Grumbling over caste survey While the opposition parties have openly attacked the Revanth Reddy government on the caste survey calling it unscientific, there is grumbling within the Congress as well, expressing doubts over the figures of the OBCs.