Govt can collect caste-wise data of OBCs by adding extra column in census questionnaire: Congress
Aug 22, 2024
New Delhi [India], August 22 : Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday claimed that there was a continuous delay in conducting a 2021 Census and said that the delay meant that vital information necessary for economic planning and social justice programmes has not been collected. The last general census was conducted in 2011.
Ramesh suggested that the government can collect caste-wise data on the OBC population in the next Census by just adding an extra column as every such exercise since 1951 has been collecting data on the population of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
"India has been conducting a Census regularly every ten years. The last such Census was due in 2021. The continuing failure to conduct this 2021 Census has meant that vital information necessary for economic planning and for social justice programmes has not been collected. As a result, for instance, over 12 crore Indians have been denied due benefits under the National Food Security Act, 2013/PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana," the Congress leader posted on X.
"Now there are reports that the Union Government may conduct this long overdue and unacceptably delayed Census over the next few months. Every Census since 1951 has been collecting data caste-wise on the population of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Without any difficulty, just by adding an extra column, the Census questionnaire can also collect caste-wise data of the OBC population as well," he added.
The Congress General Secretary said that it is the responsibility of the Union Government alone to conduct a Census.
"This will fulfil the widespread demand for a caste census and will give more solid foundations to affirmative action programmes. "Census" is entry number 69 in the Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India--which means that it is the responsibility of the Union Government alone to conduct a Census," he said.
The caste census was one of the Congress party's promises in the 2024 general elections.
The Congress party has promised to pass a constitutional amendment to raise the Supreme Court-mandated 50 per cent cap on reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC), as per its poll manifesto.
The party also promised to conduct a nationwide Socio-Economic and Caste Census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions.
