Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy asserted that the government had ensured the highest level of accuracy in data collection, noting that no authentic caste-based data had previously been compiled, particularly regarding Backward Classes.
Published Feb 05, 2025 | 9:54 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 05, 2025 | 9:54 PM
Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy. (Wikimedia)
Synopsis: The Telangana government defended its recent caste-based socio-economic survey, with Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy declaring it the most scientific population study since Independence.. Despite criticism from the Opposition and initial challenges with data collection, the government maintains that this first-of-its-kind official caste census will serve as a crucial foundation for future welfare policies and electoral planning in Telangana.
The Congress government in Telangana on Wednesday, 5 February strongly defended its recently-released caste-based socio-economic survey amidst continued Opposition criticism, asserting that the findings represent the most scientific population study conducted since Independence.
Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who headed the cabinet sub-committee on caste-based socio economic survey, speaking to media persons in the Assembly said. “It was very scientific, transparent and accurate population study since Independence.”
He added that the government had ensured the highest level of accuracy in data collection. He underlined that no authentic caste-based data had been compiled in the past, particularly for Backward Classes.
He said: “Unlike previous studies, which were incomplete or unofficial, this was the first legitimate and detailed caste survey. The findings would help shape welfare policies by assessing the socio-economic conditions of different communities. He assured that the data was reliable and free from political influence, as government staff had carried out the entire exercise.”
Reddy also clarified that the backwards class population percentage has, in fact, increased compared to previous records. It was recorded at 51.09 percent during the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) regime, has now risen to 56.33 percent.
Similarly, the Scheduled Tribes (ST) population percentage increased from 9.8 percent to 10.45 percent, while the Other Castes population percentage decreased from 21.55 percent to 15.79 percent.
He strongly condemned opposition leaders for “falsely claiming” that the Backward Classes population percentage has decreased.
“When no genuine study was conducted on Backward Classes population, which figures are the opposition parties using to compare the existing numbers?” he questioned.
The minister further rejected claims that similar surveys had been conducted earlier, pointing out that the Intensive Household Survey (IHS) 2014 was never made public by the previous BRS government and that even the K Chandrashekar Rao government did not endorse it as official data.
He asserted that the survey conducted by the Congress government was the only genuine attempt to document caste demographics accurately and that no one could challenge its authenticity.
“Nobody can challenge us. These are the only real figures, and there is no need to be defensive. We are speaking the truth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Speaker Gadam Prasad Kumar, Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy, Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Uttam Kumar Reddy, Chief Whip Aadi Srinivas, MP Mallu Ravi, along with MLCs and MLAs, attended a presentation on the methodology and process adopted for the survey.
The Planning Department incorporated inputs from social scientists, policymakers, and various stakeholders, finalising a questionnaire covering 57 primary questions and 75 data fields. Real-time monitoring, daily updates, and twelve high-level review meetings ensured smooth execution. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy chaired three of these meetings to personally oversee the survey’s progress.
Despite challenges such as 1.03 lakh locked houses and 1.68 lakh initially unwilling respondents, the government undertook extensive follow-ups through phone calls and repeated field visits to maximise coverage.
Additionally, 84,137 misclassified households were reviewed and corrected where possible. The High Court upheld the legality of the survey, dismissing opposition litigations and reinforcing its necessity.
Once data collection was completed, processing and analysis were handled by the Centre for Good Governance (CGG) using advanced software. A total of 76,000 data entry operators were recruited to digitise responses within 36 days, utilising automated error detection mechanisms to ensure accuracy before categorising the data into four volumes covering state-wide statistics, rural and urban demographics, and caste-wise population figures.
The survey also introduced “No Caste” and “No Religion” categories, ensuring inclusivity and accurate representation of Telangana’s diverse population.
Meanwhile, Uttam Kumar Reddy dismissed electoral roll figures as unreliable due to duplication and the absence of Aadhaar linkage, emphasising that the urban-rural migration and Andhra-Telangana demographic shifts made voter lists an unreliable population metric.
He further said that previous elections were based only on voter lists, which had inaccurate Backward Classes population data. This survey, he stated, is the first time a Backward Classes-specific caste enumeration has been undertaken, making it critical for future electoral and policy decisions.
Speaking during the presentation, Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar reiterated that the Congress government had undertaken an exhaustive process to collect this data, unlike previous administrations that relied on unofficial and misleading figures.
He said that except for “propaganda and fabricated statistics,” the opposition had nothing substantial to counter this authentic dataset.
“We engaged over one lakh trained government staff in an extensive process. We must be confident in these figures,” he said. He dismissed earlier attempts like the Samagra Kutumba Survey, stating that it was not official and lacked reliable data.
“The opposition has nothing except misleading and false figures,” he added.
Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy acknowledged that concerns always arise with surveys, but he emphasised that such figures should be analysed carefully.
Dismissing claims about the reduction in Backward Classes population, he asked, “How can the Backward Classes or any caste population go down? Who would have any personal interest – enumerators or the government?”
He noted that while a few individuals might have concealed their details, the government now had a comprehensive dataset of Telangana households.
Similarly, Reddy added: “With the survey now completed, the Telangana government aims to use this data for effective policymaking. The survey marks a landmark initiative in data-driven governance, ensuring equitable development and representation for all communities.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
