AP: House passes resolution for caste-based census of BCs

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking caste-based census within backward class community.

The resolution was moved by BC welfare minister Ch. Venugopala Krishna.
Speaking on the resolution, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy underlined the need for a caste census among BCs for their overall development. He asserted that YSR Congress is giving top priority to BCs. His government has offered them 75 per cent of total 6.3 lakh jobs created in the past two and half years within the state.

In its resolution, the legislative assembly urged Government of India to conduct a caste-wise census of socially and educationally backward classes of citizens, along with that of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities, while carrying out the General Census 2021.

Jagan Mohan Reddy maintained that enumeration of BCs will help devise better policies for their welfare, education and employment. He pointed out that the last caste-based census in India had been conducted in year 1931. It has been 90 years since then that no scientific data has been collected, which is posing a hurdle in meeting interests and aspirations of BCs.

The Chief Minister maintained that BCs are the backbone class and his government’s programmes are aimed at giving them a lion’s share in economic, political and social spaces in a saturation mode. Besides welfare, BCs have got a major share in posts, jobs, and schemes of the state government. His government has provided 50 per cent reservations in all nominated posts and nominated works to BCs, SCs, STs, and minorities.

Earlier, moving the resolution, Venugopala Krishna said the census will help state government in evolving schemes for social and economic uplift of BCs.