Hyderabad, February 4: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy asserted that the BC population increase in Telangana is evident from the latest socio-economic survey. He accused the BRS of spreading false propaganda by misquoting statistics. He condemned the opposition for misleading the public with fabricated figures and reaffirmed that the Congress government conducted the caste-based socio-economic survey with total transparency and commitment. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ideology inspired the survey, which was completed within a year, ensuring the empowerment of backward and marginalised communities.
BC Population Rise and Opposition’s Allegations
Responding to CPI MLA K Sambasiva Rao, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress government conducted the survey to assess the socio-economic conditions of various communities scientifically. He dismissed the Intensive Household Survey (IHS) conducted by the BRS government in 2014, stating that its findings were never officially published. He emphasised that some opposition MLAs were quoting figures from the 2014 survey, but as an MLA at that time, he confirmed that the IHS was never recognised as an official document.
“Refuting the BRS’s claims, he emphasized that the BC population increase in Telangana is backed by official data. The latest socio-economic survey confirms that the BC population increase in Telangana stands at 56.33%, compared to 51.09% in previous reports.” The survey found that:
✅ The BC population increased from 51.09% to 56.33%
✅ The Scheduled Tribes (ST) population rose from 9.8% to 10.45%
✅ The Other Castes (OCs) population declined from 21.55% to 15.79%
Uttam Kumar Reddy also rejected the Samagra Kutumba Survey figures cited by BRS, pointing out that their total exceeded 114%, making them mathematically impossible and misleading.
BJP’s Silence on Caste Census
During an Assembly discussion, BJP MLA Payala Shankar raised concerns over the caste census. Uttam Kumar Reddy defended the survey, challenging the BJP to clarify its stance on caste-based surveys. He questioned why BJP-ruled states and the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not conducted similar surveys despite their claims of working for backward communities.
He demanded that caste-based socio-economic surveys be conducted nationwide to ensure fair representation and enhanced reservations. He urged BJP leaders in Telangana to convince the Centre to approve the proposal instead of questioning the initiative.
How the Survey Was Conducted
Providing details of the survey execution, Uttam Kumar Reddy stated that Telangana’s total population is 3.70 crore, and data was collected from 3.54 lakh individuals. Each survey unit covered 150 households, ensuring extensive outreach. Over 1.03 lakh government employees participated in the process, with each team being trained and assigned a supervisor. Additionally, 76,000 data entry operators worked tirelessly to process the data, making it a historic milestone.
The survey began on February 4, 2024, and was completed on February 4, 2025, with a total budget of ₹160 crore.
https://hyderabadnewshunt.com/telangana-completes-landmark-caste-survey-in-record-50-days/
BRS Accused of Misleading the Public
He also condemned the BRS MLAs for staging a walkout, accusing them of failing to work for the welfare of BCs despite ruling Telangana for 10 years. He stated that the BRS leadership deliberately misled people using fabricated statistics to create confusion.
He reiterated that the Congress government operates with full transparency, working toward the economic, educational, and political empowerment of all sections.
Call for a Resolution on Caste Survey Findings
Uttam Kumar Reddy reaffirmed that the Congress government is committed to social justice and inclusive growth, as emphasised by Rahul Gandhi multiple times. He called on the Telangana Assembly to pass a resolution based on the survey findings.
Reiterating that the BC population percentage has increased while the OC population percentage has declined, he urged the opposition to stop misleading the people. Instead, he called for supporting progressive initiatives that promote real social and economic justice.
Telangana Legislative Assembly of Third Telangana Legislative Assembly Day – 01 https://t.co/yTNYt9urDU
— Telangana Congress (@INCTelangana) February 4, 2025
