Telangana government to take up caste census soon, announces CM Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad: After Andhra Pradesh, another Telugu state, Telangana, will take up the caste census. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who reviewed the BC, Minority and Tribal Welfare Departments on Saturday, said that the government was committed to fulfilling the promise of conducting a caste census made during the Assembly elections.

The officials concerned have been asked to take the necessary action to launch the caste census.

On January 19, Andhra Pradesh launched a comprehensive caste census to enumerate all the castes in the state.

The Andhra government has designed a special phone app to take up the census, which is expected to be completed in another 20 days to one month. It has become the second state in the country, after Bihar, to launch such a census.

However, Revanth did not give any timeline to conduct the caste census.

The chief minister ordered the officials to furnish the complete details of Gurukul schools functioning in the rented buildings in the state. He instructed the officials to make proposals for permanent Gurukul buildings.

The officials were directed to identify suitable places for the construction of buildings. The budget proposals will be prepared after estimating the cost of the construction of each school.

He also directed the officials to implement the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Overseas Scholarship Scheme more effectively. The officials have been asked to ensure a greater number of students avail of the scheme benefit. A framework has to be prepared to identify top foreign universities based on the ranking of the institutions. Students who go to pursue higher education at top universities should be given priority in availing of the scheme benefit.

Revanth said that the cooperation of corporate bodies and companies will be taken for the construction of education hubs. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds will be mobilised, and the construction of these buildings should be taken up by receiving donations from the donors.

Funds will also be collected through CSR for necessary infrastructure, supply of blankets, notebooks, uniforms, and books for the students in the government welfare hostels.