Express News Service
PATNA: The much-hyped caste-based census in Bihar, which is likely to give a major push to Mandal politics, will begin in Bihar from January 7. The exercise will be held in two phases. In the first phase, the number of all households will be counted in the state. In the second phase, starting from March, enumerators will collect data related to people of all castes and sub castes and religions. They will also record information about the financial status of all people.
On the basis of the caste basis headcount, the state government will formulate policies considering their population and economic status, government sources said. According to a notification issued by the state general administration department, the first phase of the census will be completed by January 21. Enumerators will also undergo training for the purpose from December 15.
The Bihar cabinet has extended the deadline for completing the exercise of caste-based headcount in the state by three months, to May 2023. The state government will spend 500 crore from its contingency fund for the exercise. The issue of caste-based census in Bihar snowballed into a major political plank after the Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had made it clear in Lok Sabha in July 2021 that no caste-wise census except for SCs and STs would be conducted.
In the seven censuses conducted so far since independence, data related to only SCs and STs have been published. In the absence of data related to other castes, it becomes difficult to estimate the population of OBCs correctly. The former VP Singh government which had given reservation to OBCs had also fixed reservation quota for them on the basis of the 1931 census, the last caste-based census in the country.
In the 1931 census, the population of OBCs was estimated to be 52 per cent. The Congress-led UPA government at the Centre had conducted the socio-economic and caste census in 2011 but the caste data was not released. The state legislature had passed two unanimous resolutions, in 2018 and 2019, in favour of a caste-based count.
Those demanding caste-based census contend that SCs and STs were given the benefits of reservation on the basis of their population but the reservation quota for OBCs had not been fixed similarly. They argue that on the basis of findings of the caste-based census, the reservation quota fixed for the OBCs could be accordingly revised.
In an all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on June 1, 2022, on the issue of caste census, it was unanimously decided that the castes and sub-castes of all religions will be counted in Bihar. The Chief Minister had said that the purpose of conducting caste-based enumeration is to take people forward so that no one in the state is neglected.
Included: Religion, caste and sub-caste In the first phase, the number of all households will be counted in the state. In the second phase, starting from March, enumerators will collect data related to people of all castes and sub-castes and religions. They will also record information about the financial status of all people.
PATNA: The much-hyped caste-based census in Bihar, which is likely to give a major push to Mandal politics, will begin in Bihar from January 7. The exercise will be held in two phases. In the first phase, the number of all households will be counted in the state. In the second phase, starting from March, enumerators will collect data related to people of all castes and sub castes and religions. They will also record information about the financial status of all people.
On the basis of the caste basis headcount, the state government will formulate policies considering their population and economic status, government sources said. According to a notification issued by the state general administration department, the first phase of the census will be completed by January 21. Enumerators will also undergo training for the purpose from December 15.
The Bihar cabinet has extended the deadline for completing the exercise of caste-based headcount in the state by three months, to May 2023. The state government will spend 500 crore from its contingency fund for the exercise. The issue of caste-based census in Bihar snowballed into a major political plank after the Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had made it clear in Lok Sabha in July 2021 that no caste-wise census except for SCs and STs would be conducted.
In the seven censuses conducted so far since independence, data related to only SCs and STs have been published. In the absence of data related to other castes, it becomes difficult to estimate the population of OBCs correctly. The former VP Singh government which had given reservation to OBCs had also fixed reservation quota for them on the basis of the 1931 census, the last caste-based census in the country.
In the 1931 census, the population of OBCs was estimated to be 52 per cent. The Congress-led UPA government at the Centre had conducted the socio-economic and caste census in 2011 but the caste data was not released. The state legislature had passed two unanimous resolutions, in 2018 and 2019, in favour of a caste-based count.
Those demanding caste-based census contend that SCs and STs were given the benefits of reservation on the basis of their population but the reservation quota for OBCs had not been fixed similarly. They argue that on the basis of findings of the caste-based census, the reservation quota fixed for the OBCs could be accordingly revised.
In an all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on June 1, 2022, on the issue of caste census, it was unanimously decided that the castes and sub-castes of all religions will be counted in Bihar. The Chief Minister had said that the purpose of conducting caste-based enumeration is to take people forward so that no one in the state is neglected.
Included: Religion, caste and sub-caste
In the first phase, the number of all households will be counted in the state. In the second phase, starting from March, enumerators will collect data related to people of all castes and sub-castes and religions. They will also record information about the financial status of all people.
