We will do in 3 weeks what PM Modi failed to do in 3 yrs: Cong on Telangana caste survey

The Congress on Wednesday claimed that its government in Telangana is set to complete the caste survey in the next three weeks, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed to do in the country in the last three years.

In a post in Hindi on X, Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said his party's government in Telangana has shown the way and his party would also get a comprehensive caste census done at the national level.

"In Telangana, our government has completed more than 70 per cent of the caste census. Soon, the government will have detailed data of the entire state, which we will use to formulate policies and strengthen social justice.

"The caste census is the first of many important steps that will help in planning the overall development over the next few decades. This is the reason why I am repeatedly demanding a comprehensive caste census in the country," he said in his post.

"The Congress government of Telangana has shown the way, we will also get a comprehensive caste census done at the national level," Gandhi added.

Congress MP and general-secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said around 80,000 enumerators have reached 1.17 crore households across 33 districts to survey the economic, social and caste backgrounds of people.

"What the non-biological PM’s Government has failed to do for three years now, is set to be completed in Telangana within about three weeks. 80,000 enumerators will have reached 1.17 crore households across 33 districts to survey them about their economic, educational, social, and caste background. Its results will inform the Government’s policymaking for years to come," Ramesh said in a post on X.

"The Congress model of governance: justice, empowerment, and execution," he said.

The Congress leader claimed the Telangana caste survey is an administrative accomplishment of historic proportions. It has required incredible planning, attention to detail and creativity from the Telangana government, led by the Planning Department, he said.

Sharing some insights from the survey in Wanaparthy district in the state, Ramesh said the last decadal Census, conducted in 2011, used a rough hand-drawn map of each enumeration bloc (EB) which was provided to each enumerator.

In Telangana, he claimed that districts like Wanaparthy have digitised each EB on Google Earth. Not only do enumerators now have a digital map of their EB, but authorities can also use satellite mapping to track population and household growth, he said, adding one can clearly see in the images below the growth in the number of settlements in EB 15 between 2005 and 2020.

"This development of new settlements has necessitated the splitting of the original EB 15 into three new EBs (15, 15A, and 15B). Whenever it is that the Home Ministry finally decides to conduct the decadal Census that it has failed to conduct so far, Telangana and Wanaparthy will be raring to go," he said.

Wanaparthy also developed a website that enumerators can use in the place of the physical handbook, he said, sharing the link.

The Congress is citing the caste survey in Telangana as one which the party is demanding across the country from the BJP government at the Centre. The Opposition party has also made the nationwide caste survey a major poll issue.