Telangana creates history with record-breaking caste survey in just 50 days, completes process in one year

Hyderabad, February 2: Telangana has made history by completing the largest-ever Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political, and Caste (SEEEPC) survey, which covered 96.9% of Telangana households in just 50 days. The entire process, from passing a resolution in the cabinet to submission of the report, was completed in exactly one year.

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This marks a significant step towards data-driven governance, fulfilling a major promise made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections. The Congress government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka have now laid the foundation for welfare policies based on real-time socio-economic data.

The Cabinet Sub-Committee, chaired by Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy formally received the survey reports from the Planning Department, which spearheaded the massive data collection exercise. The minister hailed it as a historic initiative and a revolutionary step in achieving social justice, emphasizing that the findings will guide policy decisions to uplift the Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other marginalized communities. 

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High-Level Meeting, Detailed PowerPoint Presentation

At a high-level meeting, Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy, D. Seethakka, Ponnam Prabhakar, and Damodar Raja Narasimha received the survey reports from Principal Secretary (Planning) Sandeep Kumar Sultania, State Nodal Officer & Hyderabad Collector Anudeep Durishetty, and other senior officials. The Planning Department made a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the methodology and findings.

Addressing a press conference later, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that precisely a year ago, on February 4, 2024, the Telangana Cabinet passed a resolution approving this survey, and today, the completed report stands as a milestone that will redefine governance and policy-making in the state. He described it as a historic day for social justice in Telangana. He announced that the reports would be presented before the Cabinet on February 4 at 10 AM, followed by a short discussion in the Assembly on the same day. 

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This comprehensive survey, the largest post-independence, covered 96.9% of Telangana households with the help of 94,863 enumerators and 9,628 supervisors deployed across 94,261 Enumeration Blocks. A total of 76,000 data entry operators digitized the information within 36 days. The Centre for Good Governance developed the digital infrastructure for smooth execution. The first respondent was Telangana Governor Sri Jishnu Dev Varma, who officially launched the survey by participating on November 9, 2024.

Total Muslim Population In Telangana

Covering 3,54,77,554 individuals, the survey revealed crucial demographic data: BCs accounted for 1,64,09,179 people (46.25%), SCs 61,84,319 (17.43%), STs 37,05,929 (10.45%), and the total Muslim population stood at 44,57,012 (12.56%), including 35,76,588 (10.08%) BC Muslims and 8,80,424 (2.48%) OC Muslims. Other OCs accounted for 44,21,115 (13.31%), making the total OC population 15.79%. Uttam Kumar Reddy stated that the findings would be used to restructure Telangana’s welfare programs to ensure equitable distribution of resources. 

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The minister acknowledged that the survey faced significant challenges, including misinformation campaigns where false propaganda attempted to mislead the public. Legal hurdles also arose, as PILs were filed against the survey, but the High Court ruled in favor of the government, allowing the process to continue. Among the key operational challenges, 1.03 lakh houses were found locked, 1.68 lakh families were initially hesitant to participate, and 84,137 houses were misclassified due to non-residential usage or occupants being non-Telangana residents. The government conducted repeated awareness campaigns and field visits to ensure maximum participation and accuracy in data collection. 

Drawing a comparison, Uttam Kumar Reddy pointed out that Bihar’s caste census took six months and cost Rs 500 crore, while Telangana completed its survey in just 50 days at a much lower cost. He credited this success to superior planning, decentralized implementation, and rigorous monitoring at the highest levels. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka, and Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari closely tracked daily progress. Twelve high-level review meetings were conducted, with CM Revanth Reddy personally leading three of them. 

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Ministers Address

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said this survey is a golden chapter in Telangana’s history and despite negative propaganda, people actively participated, proving their trust in the government. He recalled that on February 16, 2024, he moved the Assembly resolution for this survey and expressed pride in its timely completion. He said this initiative aligns with Rahul Gandhi’s vision of equitable distribution of resources and will serve as a model for the entire nation.

Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha called the survey a difficult yet honest effort toward ensuring social justice, stating that despite legal challenges, the government persevered, and the results will shape policies that empower the most disadvantaged communities.

Tribal Welfare Minister D Seethakka described the initiative as historic and beneficial to all communities in Telangana, recommending that similar surveys be conducted across India. 

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Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasised that this is just the beginning and Telangana has set an example for data-driven governance. He said this survey is not just a data collection exercise but a revolution in social justice, ensuring that the most vulnerable sections receive the benefits they deserve. He asserted that the findings will help refine welfare schemes, improve job opportunities, and uplift weaker sections, proving that Telangana can execute large-scale, data-driven policies for the benefit of the people. He also thanked Rahul Gandhi for his inspiration and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for his leadership in executing this ambitious initiative. Calling today a historic day for Telangana, he said this survey will stand as a model for the nation in achieving social justice and extended his heartfelt congratulations to the entire team for their dedication and hard work. 

Telangana Setting New Benchmark

“With Telangana setting a new benchmark in large-scale data collection, this survey is expected to be a blueprint for other states across India, ensuring equitable governance and data-driven decision-making,” he said. (Maxim News)

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