Telangana Launches Statewide Caste Census

On November 6, 2024, Telangana’s Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar officially launched a statewide door-to-door survey at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) office in Hyderabad. Conducted by the State Planning Department, the survey aims to gather comprehensive data on the social, economic, political, caste, and educational status of all households across Telangana. 

Launch Details

• Launched on November 6, 2024 by Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) office.
• Conducted by the State Planning Department.
• First caste-based census in Telangana since 1931.

Survey Process

• Enumerators will visit each household and interact with the family head, recording data in two-part forms.
• Stickers will be affixed to household doors to indicate completed surveys.
• Enumerator Assignment: Each enumerator is responsible for 150 houses.

Data Collection Forms

Two Parts

1. Individual Details: Specific information about each household member.
2. Household Details: General family information.

Details that people will be asked for includes

• Basic details including name and address
• Religion, caste
• Marital status 
• Aadhaar card number (optional)

Details about source of income

• Details of job
• Self-employment details
• Annual income 
• Annual turnover in case of business/real estate /industrialist
• Do you pay income tax?
• Do you hold a bank account?

Details that will be collected include

• If daily wage labor, the unorganized sector respondent works in
• Caste-based occupation
• Health hazard because of the caste-based occupation 

Details that will be collected include

• Benefits received from reservation, if any, (Education and employment)
• Welfare schemes benefits received in the past five years
• Caste certificate if the respondent belongs to SC/ST/BC/EWS
• If the respondent is from one of the Denotified Tribes

Scale of the Survey

• 1.17 crore households across Telangana.
• 85,000 enumerators deployed to cover all households.

Survey Timeline

• Initial three days for affixing stickers.
• Full door-to-door survey to start on November 9, 2024.

Confidentiality Assurance

• Minister Ponnam Prabhakar assured confidentiality and encouraged people to participate.
• Open invitation for suggestions from the opposition to improve the survey process.

Purpose of the Survey

• To support targeted policy planning by assessing the socio-economic and educational status of the population.
• Enhance understanding of caste demographics for more inclusive welfare schemes and resource allocation.