Divergence in Population Growth Rates Sows Confusion

Hyderabad: The population of Telangana grew by just 5.71 per cent in 13 years, if one extrapolates data from 2024 caste census and 2011 Census.

According to the 2011 census, the population was 3,50,03,674 or 3.5 crore. The caste survey, held in November-December last, put it at 3.7 crore, suggesting that the population grew by merely 20 lakh or 5.71 per cent in the intervening period.

The household survey conducted under the BRS government in August 2014 pegged the state's population at 3,68,76,544. By this metric, the state’s population has risen only by 1.32 lakh or just 0.5 per cent in the 10-year-period. Compared to the 2011 Census, the BRS survey in 2014 showed a growth of five per cent in three years.

During the period between Census 2011 and Census 2001, the population in Telangana increased by 13.5 per cent. From Census 2011 to the BRS government’s survey in 2014, the population grew by five per cent. The population growth appears to have slowed down to 0.5 per cent in the 10-year period between the BRS government survey in 2014 and the Congress government’s Caste Census in 2024.

The two surveys a decade apart have revealed conflicting population growth figures in other sections.

The population of the Backward Classes community, which stood at 51 per cent in the BRS government’s survey, dropped to 46 per cent in the Congress government's caste census. The Muslim population declined from 46,25,062 in the 2014 survey to 44,57,012 in the 2024 caste census.

Though the planning department submitted the caste census report to the state government on Sunday, it was not made public. It is expected to be released only after it is tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday.

According to Cabinet sub-committee chairman N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who received the caste census report, the caste census covered 3,54,77,554 individuals out of total 3.70 crore population, which revealed that BCs accounted for 1,64,09,179 people (46.25 per cent), SCs 61,84,319 (17.43 per cent), and STs 37,05,929 (10.45 per cent). Other castes accounted for 44,21,115 (13.31 per cent).

The total Muslim population stood at 44,57,012 (12.56 per cent), including 35,76,588 (10.08 per cent) BC Muslims and 8,80,424 (2.48 per cent) OC Muslims.

The BRS survey gathered details of BC communities practising Hinduism and pegged the total at 1,85,61,856 (51 per cent).

The Congress government's survey revealed that the BC population among the Hindu community was 1,64,09,179 people (46.25 per cent). It revealed that there is an additional BC population of 35,76,588 (10.08 per cent) from the Muslim community.

If the Muslim BC population is also added to the overall figure, the BC population in Telangana will increase to 1,99,85,767, accounting for 56.33 per cent.

The Congress government claims that the caste census was more accurate and scientific when compared with the BRS government's IHS. It says caste census figures should not be compared with BRS government's survey, which was conducted on a single day in an unscientific manner.

Telangana BC Commission chairman G Niranjan said that previous chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao ordered the survey to be held on a single day, which was impractical, unscientific and unrealistic.

"The Congress government's caste census was conducted in a scientific manner on par with the national census. We took 50 days to conduct the survey by visiting every household in phases. But the BRS government's survey was conducted on a single day. Is it possible to cover 1.03 crore households on a single day? Even if it is, one can easily imagine the accuracy of such data gathered in a hurried manner on a single day," Niranjan said.

The BRS government's household survey was just a hype with focus on entering the record books.

"Our caste census motto was not to create any hype or achieve world records. Our motto was to conduct a caste census in a realistic and scientific manner. The hasty one-day survey during the BRS regime could have resulted in inflated and inaccurate figures, which should not be compared with our caste census," Niranjan said.

Infographics:

             Census 2011 2014        IHS 2024             caste survey

Households-83,03,612-             1,03,95,629-       1,15,78,457

Population: 3,50,03,674 -          3,68,76,544 -       3,70,00,000

Male            1,76,11,633 -          1,84,11,741 -       1,79,21,183

Female:       1,73,92,041 =         1,84,05,885 =      1,75,42,597

Third gender  NA                        NA -                              3,774

Rural:             2,13,95,009 =       2,42,42,966 -           NA

Urban:             1,36,08,665 -     1,26,33,578 -             NA

SCs:                  54,08,800 -        64,44,584 -           61,84,319

STs:                   31,77,940 -        36,44,453 -           37,05,929

                         IHS 2014                         Caste Census 2024

OC                     78,12,858 (21%)          44,21,115 (13.31%)

BC                   1,85,61,856 (51%)         1,64,09,79 (46.25%)

SC                    63,60,158 (18%)           61,84,319 (17.43%)

ST                    36,02,288 (10%)           37,05,929 (10.45%)

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Muslims                   NA                          44,57,012 (12.56%)

BC Muslims:            NA                         35,76,588 (10.08%)

OC Muslims             NA                           8,80,424 (2.48%)