Hyderabad, Feb 12 : The government of Telangana has decided to conduct another round of caste survey once again from next week to cover people who could not participate in the survey earlier.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka announced on Wednesday that the survey will be conducted from February 16 to 28.

Addressing a press conference, he said people who could not participate in the survey for various reasons may share their details with the enumerators. He urged the remaining 3.1 per cent population to avail the opportunity. He claimed that the caste survey was conducted scientifically.

The government's decision to conduct another round of caste survey comes after criticism from the opposition parties, which raised doubts about the statistics announced in the State Assembly on February 4.

Questioning the decline in the population of Backward Classes from 61 per cent (including Muslim Backward Classes) as revealed in the integrated household survey conducted in 2014 to 56.33 percent in the caste survey conducted in November-December 2024.

The Deputy Chief Minister also announced that the State Cabinet will pass a resolution in the first week of March to provide 42 per cent reservation to Backward Classes to implement the promise made by the Congress party in Assembly elections.

A Bill will be passed in the Assembly to provide statutory backing for a 42 percent quota for Backward Classes/OBCs in politics, education and employment.

He said the Bill would be sent to the Central government and all efforts would be made to pass the same in the Parliament.

Vikramarka said that providing 42 per cent reservation to Backward Classes in elections to local bodies is the aim of the Congress party.

The caste survey report revealed that the Backward Classes account for 56.33 percent of the state's population, of whom 10.08 per cent are Backward Class Muslims.

According to the report of Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste Survey, 17.43 percent of the population are Scheduled Castes (SCs), 10.45 percent Scheduled Tribes (STs) and 12.56 per cent Muslims, of which 2.48 per cent are Other Caste (OC) Muslims. The OCs make up 13.31 percent of the total population.

The comprehensive door-to-door household survey covered 3,54,77,554 people and 1,12,15,134 families.

The government had told Assembly that 96.9 percent of the households in the state were covered during the 50-day long survey.

The government said 16 lakh people (3.1 per cent) opted out due to various reasons. The enumerators found 1.03 lakh houses locked. As many as 1.68 lakh families were hesitant to participate.

/IANS