AP Assembly passes resolution requesting Union Govt to conduct caste-wise Census

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution requesting the Union Government to conduct a caste-wise census of socially and educationally backward classes along with Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities in the General Census 2021.

Minister for Backward Classes Welfare S Venugopala Krishna moved the resolution that was adopted by voice vote.

"To usher in a just and egalitarian society as enshrined in the Constitution of India, it is necessary to main the accurate population statistics of all backward communities for taking up affirmative action and various welfare measures. To ensure effective implementation of various provisions of the Constitution in their letter and spirit for the benefit of the socially and educationally backward classes, the caste-wise census be conducted," the resolution said.

The Minister said the caste-wise census was conducted way back in 1931 during the British rule.

"Things have now changed drastically as the population of the country increased more than four times to around 130 crores. As a result of the non-conduct of caste census for over 90 years, the same statistics obtained in 1931 are still being used, projecting them with annual-decennial growth. Relying on projected figures is not justifiable beyond a point," the Minister noted.

Accurate data on the population of Backward Classes would facilitate the formulation of proper policies and their effective implementation too.

"Enumeration of BCs in the country as part of the Census operations is viewed as an ideal tool to assess the social, educational and economic backwardness of the communities. In due consideration of the present scenario, the caste census of BCs has to be taken up to have contemporaneous (empirical) data for their real benefit," Venugopala Krishna added.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who summed up, said BCs were not Backward Classes, but 'backbone classes.' He listed out his government's various initiatives aimed at the uplift and empowerment of the BCs