Caste census report tabled in Karnataka cabinet, meeting to discuss findings on April 17

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. (File photo/PTI)

The Karnataka cabinet on Friday approved the findings of the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey report, commonly referred to as the caste census, ahead of a detailed discussion on it at the  special cabinet meeting on April 17.

Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "Some ministers said they want to go through the recommendations first. For this reason, there will be a cabinet meeting on April 17."

Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said it was decided that a discussion on the caste census would take place in a special cabinet meeting, PTI reported.

According to Backward Class Development Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, the caste census report is in 50 volumes. It comprises 5.98 crore people from 1.38 crore families.

"It encompasses 94.77 per cent of people. Only 5.23 per cent of people are out of its ambit," Tangadagi told reporters.

The caste census was prepared with the help of 1.6 lakh officers, including 79 IAS officers, 777 senior level officers, 1,33,825 teachers and 22,190 personnel in agriculture and other departments, he said.

The Socio-Economic and Education Survey report was submitted to CM Siddaramaiah by Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Chairman K Jayaprakash Hegde in February last year.

The survey was initiated in 2015 during Siddaramaiah’s earlier tenure as chief minister. It reportedly involved over 1,60,000 personnel, who visited over 10 million households across Karnataka, incurring expenses of Rs 162 crore.