Uttam: Telangana to Hike SC Reservation Quota in Line With 2026 Census
The government is to expand SC reservations, modernize irrigation projects, and rejuvenate Musi River with Godavari water.
Suryapet: Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announced on Sunday at a public meeting in Thungathurthy that the state will increase the quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs) in proportion to their population, as recorded in the upcoming 2026 Census. Speaking at the event, which also praised the state’s initiatives on SC classification and the recent socio-economic BC census, the minister said that a Cabinet sub-committee, headed by him and comprising SC leaders, had been set up following an Apex Court judgment. This committee will advise on expanding SC reservations and classify SCs into distinct categories A, B, C, and D through a Bill in the Legislative Assembly.
“We are committed to social justice,” said Uttam Kumar Reddy, emphasising that the Congress government has long supported SC categorisation. He also highlighted the recent successful BC caste census, which involved 1.04 lakh government employees over 50 days at a cost of Rs 160 crore. The government also plans to implement a law to provide a 42 per cent quota for BCs in the state.
In addition to addressing reservation issues, the minister outlined plans for regional development. He promised that Thungathurthy would be transformed into an Assembly constituency with improved irrigation facilities sourced from Godavari water within the next four years. The modernisation, extension, and repair of the STSP Stage-II canal are also slated for completion within the same timeframe. Further, a new initiative will ensure the supply of fire rice to ration card holders under the Public Distribution System starting next month.
Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao also addressed the gathering, announcing plans to rejuvenate the Musi River by channeling Godavari water into it, a move expected to benefit the people of the erstwhile Nalgonda district. He noted that the government had successfully halted the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme, previously intended to extract three TMC of water daily from the Srisailam Reservoir on the Krishna River.
The public meeting was attended by several prominent leaders, including Nalgonda MP K. Raghuveer Reddy, Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, Thungathurthy MLA Mandula Samuel, Nakrekal MLA Vemula Veeresham, senior Congress leader Ramreddy Damodar Reddy, Nalgonda DCC president Shanker Naik, and Suryapet DCC president Ch. Venkanna.
