The Telangana Government’s ambitious Comprehensive House-to-House Family Survey has been successfully completed, drawing nationwide attention. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy reviewed the progress of the caste census and congratulated officials for executing what he termed a historic exercise.
During the review meeting held at the Integrated Command Control Centre, officials informed the Chief Minister that data from the survey has been recorded and a draft report will be submitted within the next two days. The final report will be presented to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on February 2.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers Damodar Raja Narasimha, Uttam Kumar Reddy, Seethakka, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Government Advisors K. Keshava Rao, former Minister Jana Reddy, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari and senior officials attended the review meeting.
The CM emphasised that data from the caste census will play a crucial role in shaping policies for social empowerment and the comprehensive development of Backward Classes (BC), Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), minorities and other weaker sections.
He said the successful completion of the survey reaffirms the government’s commitment to fulfilling its election promises. The data collected is already being used by the newly established BC Dedicated Commission to formulate targeted welfare measures.
The Socio-Economic, Education, Employment and Political Caste Survey 2024 began on November 6 and was completed in the first week of December in all districts. Around one lakh government employees, including enumerators, supervisors, and data entry operators participated in the large-scale initiative, which was described as a ‘Maha Yagna’ by the Planning Department.
Officials reported that the survey identified nearly 1.16 crore families in Telangana, with teams successfully gathering data from over 96% of households. The remaining families could not participate due to reasons like locked houses, refusal to share details or unavailability at the time of enumeration.
The caste census was fast-tracked by the government, with the Cabinet approving the proposal within two months of assuming office. On February 16, the Telangana Assembly passed a resolution to undertake the survey. A six-member Cabinet Sub-Committee, led by Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, was formed on September 12 to finalize procedures for the survey.
The CM reviewed the sub-committee’s recommendations on October 9, and the Planning Department was designated as the nodal agency to execute the survey. Government Order (GO) No: 18 was issued on October 10, laying out the detailed methodology for data collection.
Officials noted that the caste census was conducted at an unprecedented pace, setting an example for the rest of the country. The CM reiterated that Telangana is now a role model in conducting large-scale socio-economic surveys efficiently. The findings from the survey are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping policies that address the needs of marginalized communities and promote inclusive development.
