5.98 crore people included in caste census report, says Karnataka Minister

Bengaluru, April 11 (IANS) Giving details about the controversial caste census report presented in the cabinet meeting, Karnataka Law Minister H. K. Patil stated on Friday, "Out of the state's 6.35 crore population, data for 5.98 crore people were included in the caste survey."

Minister Patil further stated, "Approximately 1.35 crore households participated, accounting for 94.17 per cent data coverage."

However, 37 lakh households did not participate in the survey, the minister stated.

The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes on Friday presented the study report of the data from the 2015 Socio-Educational Survey, known as the caste census, to the state cabinet.

Minister Patil announced that a special cabinet meeting has been scheduled on April 17 to discuss this report in detail.

The sealed envelope containing the report was opened during the cabinet meeting by Minister for Backward Classes Welfare Shivaraj Tangadagi. The Secretary of the Backward Classes Welfare Department, Sanjay Shettennavar, briefed the cabinet on the report, he said.

"The study report based on the 2015 Socio-Educational Survey data submitted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes on February 29, 2024, along with the sealed envelope containing the statistical survey report, was opened and presented before the cabinet for examination," he said.

The Commission submitted its findings in a sealed envelope on February 29, 2024. The report is based on data from the 2015 socio-educational survey, analysed according to 54 indicators, he said.

"The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, led by H. Kantharaj, conducted the socio-educational survey statewide between April 11 and May 30, 2015.

Information was collected through Schedule-3 from every household across 54 parameters covering social, educational, economic, political representation, and occupational conditions," Patil said.

For the purpose of the survey, six subject matter experts were appointed. A total of 16 expert meetings were held to finalise the methodology and indicators, he said.

The data collected in each district was digitised. An agreement worth Rs 43.09 crore was signed with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for this digitisation process, he said.

The total cost of the 2015 socio-educational survey was Rs 192.79 crore, with Rs 7 crore funded by the central government and Rs 185.79 crore by the state government. So far, Rs 165.51 crore has been spent on the survey, he stated.

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) validated the digitised data and submitted a report confirming that the SES-2015 data is consistent with the 2011 Census, Minister Patil said.

"Due to the expiration of the tenure of the Commission, led by H. Kantharaj, as per the government order dated September 21, 2019, the report had not been submitted earlier. A new commission under K. Jayaprakash Hegde was appointed by the government on November 23, 2020. Using the digitised data from the 2015 survey prepared under H. Kantharaj’s leadership, the new commission prepared the ‘Study Report on 2015 Socio-Educational Survey Data – 2024’ and submitted it to the government on February 29, 2024," stated Patil.

A cabinet meeting has been scheduled for April 17 to discuss the socio-educational survey report submitted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes. A unanimous resolution to this effect was taken in the cabinet meeting, informed Minister Patil.

--IANS

mka/uk