HYDERABAD: The state Cabinet on Monday approved changing the name of the “Dommara” caste to “Gadavanshiya”, and removing the word “Pichchiguntla” from the BC list, retaining only “Vamsharaj”.
State BC Commission chairman G Niranjan, along with members Rapolu Jayaprakash, Tirumalagiri Surender and Balalakshmi Rangu, disclosed this while welcoming the government’s acceptance of the panel’s recommendations aimed at the welfare of nomadic and marginalised communities.
The Cabinet cleared proposals to revise caste names considered derogatory and approved the list of eligible nomadic communities for schemes such as SEED being implemented by the Centre.
After assuming office in September 2024, the Commission toured all districts in October and November, conducting public hearings to assess the condition of backward classes. A recurring concern was that certain caste names caused humiliation, with communities seeking changes. The Commission examined these requests, studied ground conditions, and invited objections through a press release before finalising its recommendations.
It recommended changing “Dommara” to “Gadavanshiya”; removing “Pichchiguntla” and retaining “Vamsharaj”; and deleting the term “Shudra caste” linked to “Tammali” from the BC list. It also proposed adding “Shivakshatriya” as a synonym for “Budabukkala”, allowing alternative usage, and including “Dhobi” for “Chakali” and “Meru” for “Mera”.
Further, the Commission suggested prioritising the name “Veerabhadriya” and rearranging the order of associated castes “Veeramushti” and “Nethikothala” in the BC list.
On Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), the Centre’s SEED scheme requires identification and certification of eligible communities. At the request of the DNT Board, the Commission conducted a study and identified 49 castes in BC-A and two in Group-E as nomadic communities.
It also recommended revising the caste certificate format to reflect nomadic status and issuing such certificates through the RDO to prevent misuse. The Commission proposed appointing the MBC Corporation or another body as the state-level nodal agency to monitor SEED implementation.
A dedicated list of nomadic communities is expected to enable targeted welfare schemes by both state and Union governments. According to the recent caste survey, the population of nomadic communities in the state is around 18,94,966.