Caste survey: CM says data privacy issues restrained govt. from revealing individual info

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy ready to share details of comprehensive survey, but constraints prevent public release of individual data.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed his readiness to place the operative details of the comprehensive Socio, Economic, Employment, Educational, Political and Caste survey but said there are constraints in making public the fourth volume of the survey, which deals with details of individuals.

“The government is ready to table three volumes containing the operative portion like methodology, resources used and others after taking legal consent. The fourth volume cannot, however, be shared as it contains data of individuals,” he said in the special session of the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. He was responding to MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi’s demand that the survey report be tabled in the Assembly so that members could study it and discuss about the findings. “We hoped that there will be debate on the report. Why are you running away from tabling it?” he asked.

He recalled that the previous BRS government did not make public the details of the intensive household survey and the Congress government too was doing the same. “Tabling the report is important. What will we discuss until and unless it is tabled?” he questioned.

The Chief Minister said the restrictions imposed by Data Privacy did not allow the government to place the details of individuals in public domain. “It is a contractual agreement between the government and the individual and hence, cannot be made public,” Mr. Revanth Reddy said.

He said the government was prepared to share operational details of the survey and was ready for a comprehensive debate on all the aspects that went into the conduct of the survey. He faulted several BRS leaders including the party’s president and working president as well as BJP MP D.K. Aruna for not participating in the survey and said they would be answerable to the people in general and the electorate in their respective constituencies in particular for their gesture.

BRS member Talasani Srinivas Yadav lamented that the 57-point questionnaire had become a deterrent for the people to participate in the survey and hence, several of them kept away with not even 30 per cent households covered in the GHMC limits.

Quoting figures released by the government, he said there were 3.3 crore voters in 2023 Assembly elections and this was not inclusive of children from 6 to 17 years and those below six years. “There is a huge number of missing people,” he said. The government’s move to pass a resolution from the Assembly would not serve any purpose in extending the benefits to deserving sections. “Give legal sanctity to the process by enacting a legislation enhancing reservations for backward classes,” he added.