HYDERABAD: The Independent Expert Working Group (IEWG), led by Justice B Sudarshan Reddy and constituted by the Telangana government, on Saturday submitted its report on the state’s Social, Educational, Economic, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) survey to Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy.
The 300-page report includes a caste-wise ranking and scoring system based on a Composite Backwardness Index (CBI), aimed at assessing the relative backwardness of various social groups in the state.
Speaking to members of the group, the chief minister said the data collected through the SEEEPC survey served as a comprehensive assessment of Telangana’s social structure. He stated that the caste census was conducted as promised by Leader of the Opposition
Rahul Gandhi and would be instrumental in advancing social justice and targeting welfare schemes to disadvantaged groups.
Revanth said the state had asked the expert committee to examine disparities between urban and rural areas and identify community-specific needs.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said thesurvey's findings would help direct resources towards those in need.
He noted that the analysis was conducted by an indepen ent panel of intellectuals, se-lected for their experience and objectivity
"The committee consists of distinguished individuals known for their integrity," he said. Vikramarka added that the state Cabinet was involved
in preparing for the survey by developing questionnaires, over-seeing enumeration and setting up block-level teams. When the survey was presented in the Assembly, several queries were raised, but no fundamental flaws were identified, he said.
The deputy chief minister also explained that following the availability of caste census data, the government formed a high-level committee that included Justice Sudarshan Reddy, Prof Kancha Ilaiah, Praveen Chakravarty and Sukhadeo Thorat to recommend future action.
"The panel worked with a sense of duty, irrespective of caste background. Even though there are many people from the Reddy community-Justice Sudarshan Reddy, CM Revanth Reddy, and Caste Census Com-mittee Chairman Uttam Kumar Reddy there was no bias," Vikramarka said.