VIJAYAWADA: The comprehensive caste census, which was scheduled to be held in the State from November 27, will now be conducted from December 9, Backward Classes (BC) Welfare Minister Ch Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna announced on Friday.
Initially, the government had decided to take up the caste census on November 21, but later deferred it to November 27. The exercise was conducted on a pilot basis under the jurisdiction of five Village/Ward Secretariats.
Speaking to reporters at the YSRC Central Office in Tadepalli, Venugopala Krishna pointed out that the caste census has not been conducted in the country since independence. He added that the exercise will ensure social empowerment. He explained that a delegation of officials from Andhra Pradesh studied how the caste census was conducted in Bihar so that the exercise could be conducted successfully.
Responding to the TDP’s claim that the State government was conducting the caste census without taking suggestions from stakeholders, the minister said regional-level meetings were held at five places. “District-level meetings with officials and leaders of caste associations were also conducted to take their suggestions on the government’s initiative. Besides, we are mulling over conducting meetings at the mandal-level,” he added.
Accusing TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu of considering BCs as a vote bank and humiliating them on all fronts, Krishna found fault with the BC leaders in the yellow party for not questioning their leader for discriminating against their community members.
Stating that the TDP has no right to question Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s decision, he maintained that AP will become a role model for other States in conducting the caste census.