Bangalore: Govt to conduct caste-wise survey, says CM

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jul 26: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the Government will conduct a caste-wise survey in Karnataka to obtain authentic data on social and economic conditions of households belonging to all castes.

Intervening during the debate on the State budget for 2013-14 in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday, the chief minister said the caste-wise survey was last conducted by the British in 1931 and many changes have taken place since then.

The survey would help the government to have authentic data and reports on living condition and poverty levels of upper and backward castes, he said.

Moreover, during hearing of arguments, judges of Supreme Court and High Courts sought data of various castes and their socio-economic conditions, he said.

The survey, according to Siddaramaiah, would help in understanding the living conditions of all people.

A decision on the caste-wise survey was taken in 2004-05 when he was the deputy chief minister.

In 2004-05, the Union Government had sanctioned Rs 21 crore for undertaking the survey and released Rs 7 crore.

The Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission had spent some money to conduct the sample survey of families.

However, the survey took a backseat following change of the governments.

The successive governments did not show interest in taking up the survey, the chief minister said.

The survey of all castes, including the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, would be done, he said.

Though there was debate on the survey of castes during the Mandal Commission agitation, no action has been taken up to conduct census on caste-wise.

Earlier, Shivananda Patil of the Congress and JD(S) member Y S V Datta urged the Chief Minister to conduct the caste-wise survey to obtain information on social, economic and educational status of various castes in the State.
 
“We are busy in merely making speeches. There is no authentic data on socio-economic position of various backward castes,” he said making out a strong case for the need for the caste-wise survey.