Caste census report to be implemented in the coming days, Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah vows to implement caste census report, emphasizing on providing preferential treatment to marginalized groups.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his government will take necessary steps to implement the caste census report in the coming days.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Alumni Association of Backward Class Hostels in Mysuru on Sunday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said his earlier government had conducted the caste census to identify persons from the backward classes, who had been deprived of opportunities, and provide them with preferential treatment.

The report of the caste census could not be implemented before his earlier tenure came to an end in 2018, but the report had recently been submitted. “I will place the report before the Cabinet in the coming days and take steps to implement it,” he said.

He pointed out that the implementation of the caste census report was part of the Congress party’s principle.

Caste census was part of the country’s population census before 1931, he said while adding that the caste-based data could not be gathered in 1941 as the world war had started. Caste-based census could not be conducted even post-independence, he added.

A debate on conducting caste census was on in various states of the country, he said adding that such a collection of caste-based data will help identify the economic, educational, social and political condition of various groups in the country.

Such an exercise will help the government extend special treatment to the marginalised groups.