The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has approved the inclusion of caste survey in the upcoming population census. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made this announcement during a Cabinet briefing on Wednesday.
Vaishnaw explained, “According to the Constitution of India, the Census is a Union subject. While some states have conducted caste surveys, these surveys have been politically motivated and often non-transparent. This has caused doubts and confusion.”
He said that caste enumeration should be part of the official census to avoid political misuse and ensure transparency.
The minister further added, “Caste enumeration will help in strengthening our social and economic structure, while ensuring that our society progresses. This decision reflects the government’s commitment to social equity, unlike previous governments that failed to conduct a caste census, opting for surveys instead.”
Vaishnaw also took a dig at the Congress party, saying that it had used the caste census issue as a political tool.
“Congress governments have always opposed a caste census, and instead of conducting one, they only held surveys,” he remarked.
Historically, caste data has been included in every census from 1951 to 2011 for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but not for other castes. The last full caste enumeration was conducted in 1931.
In addition to caste enumeration, the Cabinet also approved the development of a new high-speed corridor along National Highway No. 06 from Meghalaya to Assam, with an investment of ₹22,864 crore.
