Karnataka government's fresh caste census to cost Rs 425 crore

Bengaluru: The upcoming Social & Educational Survey in Karnataka, also known as caste census, is estimated to cost Rs 425 crore, including a package of around Rs 20,000 for every enumerator, mostly teachers.

The current estimate is a 156% increase from Rs 165.51 crore the  government spent on the 2015 Social & Education Survey, which was junked following opposition from various communities, especially the ‘dominant’ Lingayats and Vokkaligas.  Now, the finance department is said to have flagged the cost estimate provided by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes. 

An estimated 1.65 lakh enumerators will be required to cover about two crore households during the survey, the pet project of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The survey will start from September 22. 

“The finance department is being persuaded. We’re saying that we can’t do a satisfactory job without the required funds,” Commission chairperson Madhusudhan R Naik told DH. “We’re trying to convince them that there won’t be wasteful expenditure. We’re even cutting down on advertisements,” he said. 

Each enumerator will get a lump sum of Rs 5,000 besides the remuneration for surveying each household. “We’ve estimated that every enumerator will cover about 150 households. For each household, we’ll pay Rs 100. So, we’re looking at a remuneration of Rs 20,000 per enumerator,” Naik explained. 

In Bengaluru Urban district, government clerical staff, village administrative officers (VAO) and panchayat development officers (PDO)  will be roped in alongside teachers. 

“If there’s a shortage of enumerators in any district, we’re proposing that teachers from other districts can be roped in and they’ll be compensated,” Naik said. 

In the run-up to the survey, the Commission is deploying Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and student volunteers to create awareness among citizens, Naik said. 

Aadhaar necessary

Naik said the Commission has decided to make Aadhaar “absolutely necessary” for the survey. Making Aadhaar a must for the survey was a demand made by various quarters, including the likes of Chief Minister’s Economic Adviser Basavaraj Rayareddi.