Commission begins survey of orphans in state

The survey will be done on the lines of the survey done in Telangana, with officials having already visited the state to learn the nuances

Karnataka State Permanent Backward Classes Commission Chairman K Jayaprakash Hegde stated that the survey of orphans would be conducted in the state, on the lines of Telangana, as they don't get a caste certificate.

Speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday, he said, "The commission visited Telangana recently to study how the survey of orphans had been done there. We will submit a report urging the government to include orphans in a particular category based on their socio, economic conditions. Children aged below 16 years will be covered under the survey."

He said the commission has also started surveying people belonging to the Panchamasali Lingayat community, initiated from Davangere, to study their socio-economic status and a report would be submitted to the government on the feasibility of their demand for inclusion in Category 2A of reservation (15 per cent) of the other backward classes (OBC) reservation matrix at the earliest.

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He said that Panchamali, a peasant community among Veerashaiva–Lingayats, is currently included under Category 3B (5 per cent).

The members of the community argue that their community has been denied benefits of reservation under 3B as the dominant subcastes among the Veerashaiva–Lingayats have cornered most benefits. So they are, in reality, more backward. They claim that the state has over 80 lakh people from the community.

In order to examine whether people of the community is backward in a true sense, the survey has been initiated, Hegde said. He said that education, employment and social status are the major criteria to be considered during the survey. People of the community are residing in over nine districts in the state. "We will visit all the districts and submit a report that will be close to the reality to the government."

On the demand from other communities seeking reservation benefits, he said over 15 communities, including Kudu Vokkaliga and Madi Vokkaliga, are demanding reservation benefits. Some of them, in the 3(A), (B) categories, are seeking Category 2(A) reservation benefits.

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On objections to the Panchamasali's demand, he said that over 45 castes have opposed the demand citing that they can't compete with them. The first public hearing was already held and the second one would be held on December 28 and 29 in Bengaluru.

On the socio-economic survey conducted during the Congress-led government, he said there are some legal issues with the earlier report. However, it would prove beneficial for the commission while submitting a report to the government.

On a survey in Davangere, he said the commission members would visit various villages in Harihar taluk of the district, including Bannikodu, Devara Belakere, Bevinahalli and Haralahalli, till December 23, where most of the villagers belong to the Panchamasali community.

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