Ranchi: Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that efforts are being made regarding the caste census from 2021 itself. The bill related to reservation has been passed by the Assembly and sent to the Governor. The government clearly believes that the number of people in a group should be equal to their rights. The Chief Minister was answering the questions of reporters at Project Bhawan on Thursday.
He said “ With the consent of all the parties, I had written a letter to the Prime Minister demanding a caste-based census two years ago. Members of Jharkhand’s all-party delegation in Delhi had submitted a demand letter for conducting a caste-based census to the Home Minister in September 2021.
It is necessary to formulate appropriate policy related to the betterment and upliftment of the underprivileged” The Chief Minister had said in the letter that the Constitution has made provision for special facilities and reservations for the development of socially and educationally backward classes.
Due to the absence of caste data in the census conducted since independence, people belonging to backward classes are facing difficulties in getting special facilities. In the proposed census in the year 2021, written information was given by the government in the Parliament about not conducting the caste census of the backward and extremely backward classes who have been oppressed, ridiculed, neglected and deprived for ages, which is unfortunate.
Backward and extremely backward classes are not able to make the expected progress since ages. In such a situation, if caste census is not conducted now, then the educational, social, political and economic condition of the backward/extreme backward castes will neither be properly assessed, nor will appropriate policies related to their betterment and upliftment be determined, nor will their numbers be determined. The budget will be allocated in proportion. It is known that 90 years ago, the caste census was conducted in the year 1931 and on the basis of that, the Mandal Commission recommended providing reservation to the backward classes.
Through the letter, the Chief Minister explained the many benefits of conducting a caste-based census in the policy-making of the country. It was written in the letter that these figures would prove helpful in providing reservation facilities to the backward-class people.
The data will help the policymakers in better policy making and implementation for the upliftment of the backward class people. These data will also highlight the economic, social and educational disparities and then their solution can be found in a democratic manner.
There is also a provision in Article 340 of the Constitution to form a commission to obtain information about the actual situation of economically and socially backward classes. Caste census will also ensure compliance with this provision of the Constitution. Problems arise in including and not including eligible beneficiaries in target-based schemes.