Orphaned again: Old-age homes left out of caste census' ‘main phase’

Even as enumerators rush to meet the extended deadline for caste census, a gap has emerged, with old-age homes, orphanages and other such institutions being left out of the ongoing ‘main phase’, with officials indicating that there will be a separate round for them. 

The decision to exclude institutional populations from the initial count has raised concerns among the elderly. The reason for the exclusion, according to an official from the survey administration, is procedural. 

Representatives from old age homes and orphanages in Bengaluru confirm that survey officials had entirely bypassed them. 

Thulasi Maddineni, secretary of the backward classes welfare department, confirmed that old-age homes and orphanages were not covered in the ongoing exercise. 

“After completion of the main survey (after October 22-23), the women and child development department will conduct training for supervisors of the respective institutions for their separate survey,” she told DH. 

The officer said talks had been held with institutions under the department for including them in the survey. Private institutions can also get their inmates enumerated if they want to be covered, Maddineni said. 

Mallikarjun, a supervisor from Araike Old Age Home in Kaggalipura, said, “No enumerators have come for the survey, but individually my home has been covered. Our institution has over 25 inmates and their Aadhaar cards are with us.” 

Nandini from Maria Seva Sangha, which houses 16 senior citizens, many of whom have children settled abroad, reported the same situation. “The survey has not been conducted here, but local individual residences were covered”. 

One representative from an orphanage in JP Nagar was more direct in his criticism.

‘Political exercise’

“This is just for political benefits. They are doing it only for namesake. It is a caste survey, but it has other hidden agendas,” he said. 

The man, an 81-year-old Bengalurean, currently living with his 79-year-old wife at St Augustine old age home, expressed indifference towards the government’s exercise.

When asked if he would have liked to be included in the survey, he said, “It doesn’t affect me in any way”.

One son of the couple lives in the city, while two other children are abroad. “Not really, no,” was his response, when asked about availing senior citizen benefits. 

The city’s elderly population feels disconnected from a government exercise designed to identify and provide for the destitute. 

The decision to conduct a separate phase for institutions is causing anxiety among the most vulnerable population, who fear their data will be overlooked, potentially impacting allocation of government benefits and inclusion in welfare schemes.