MLA Asif Sait, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan and other officials during the launch of survey of social, educational and economic status of the people being undertaken by Backward Classes Commission at Nehru Nagar in Belagavi on Monday.
Credit: DH Photo
Belagavi: The statewide social, educational, and economic survey being conducted by the State Backward Classes Commission began in the district on Monday, with over 10,000 enumerators deployed across all 15 taluks to collect household-level data.
The survey was originally scheduled to commence at the residence of Abdulgafar Shaikh on Market Street in the Camp area. However, due to network issues at the location, the official launch was shifted to Nehru Nagar, where the team, led by IAS probationer Abhinav Jain, began data collection at the home of Mallava Gadiwaddar.
MLA Asif Sait said the district had identified around 12 lakh households for the survey. “A total of 10,308 enumerators have been deputed, and each is tasked with visiting around 150 homes to collect detailed information on each family’s social, educational, and economic background,” he said.
‘BJP politicising survey’
He expressed dissatisfaction over the BJP criticising the survey. He said, “The BJP is unnecessarily politicising the survey. This exercise is meant to benefit people by understanding their realities. It is not aimed at dividing any religion, including Hinduism.”
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan clarified that the groundwork for the survey had already been laid, with HESCOM (Hubli Electricity Supply Company) officials affixing unique identification numbers to homes over the past two weeks. “This will help ensure smooth enumeration,” he said.
Only houses with electricity connections and verified ownership will be included in the survey. For areas with poor network coverage, camps will be organised to facilitate the data collection process. “We have identified 38 such shadow zones where alternative arrangements will be made,” Roshan added.
Corporator Shahidkhan Pathan, Assistant Commissioner Shravan Nayak, and Tahsildar Basavaraj Nagaral were also present during the launch event.
Backward Classes Welfare Department officials said the survey has been progressing smoothly across the district, aside from minor technical glitches. Enumerators, who have undergone comprehensive training, are now stationed at their assigned blocks and collecting data as per protocol.