Udupi: H. Kantharaj, Chairman of State Backward Classes Commission speaking to the press person on Thursday said that, the estimated cost of the population census this year will be Rs 185 Crore. Out of which the Union government had released Rs. 21 crore and the State government had provided Rs. 3 crore.
He informed, the pilot survey on census will end by March and in April the new caste based census with 51 question will be collected. The elements included in the questionnaire are from social, educational, economical and political aspects. As per the pilot survey, we have 1,357 Castes, 101 Scheduled Castes and 51 Scheduled Tribes in the State which might vary in the new census.
He added that “we don’t prefer caste discrimination or we support a society without the influence of caste, even though caste is one of the most prominent elements in our life”. The differentiation of caste can be removed by giving equal importance to all for which, we should bring the lower layer of the society (SC/ST) to the mainstream.
The caste census would give a clear picture to the government and adhere to the weaker sections of our society. It also helps to give proper political representation (reservations for elected bodies) under the Panchayat Raj Act.
Kumar said that, for the census enough staff are appointed and their training will start from April 1 onwards. In Udupi 2,239 census enumerators and 379 supervisors would conduct the caste census.