Backward classes Telangana's largest group: Caste survey

HYDERABAD: The Backward classes (BC) constitute 46.25% (categories A, B, C and D) or approximately 1.64 crore of the over 3.5 crore population in Telangana, making them the largest group, according to the recent caste survey done across the state.

Also, BCs among the minorities (category E) make up an additional 10.08% (35.76 lakh), taking the total BC population in the state to 56.33%. Telangana provides reservations to backward communities among Muslims in the BC-E category.

Giving details of the survey at a press conference on Sunday, irrigation and civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who is the chairman of the cabinet sub-committee on socio-economic, employment, political and caste survey, said a special assembly session would be held on Tuesday to discuss the report. He stated that 3,54,77,554 (3.5 crore) people from 1.12 crore households participated in the survey. About 3.1% population did not participate in the survey for various reasons and survey compilation excludes them.

After the BCs, the Scheduled Castes (SC) population is the second largest group at 17.43% (61.84 lakh), followed by the Scheduled Tribes (ST) at 10.45% (37.59 lakh). Forward Castes (excluding Forward Castes among minorities) constitute 13.31%. The total population of the Other Castes (OC) is 15.79%, after including 2.38% of the OC population (8.8 lakh) from the minority community, bringing the total OC population to 56.01 lakh.

After the planning department submitted the initial report of the caste survey, Reddy stated, "This is an unprecedented and accurate survey that has taken place in the country."