After Bihar, Jharkhand to conduct caste survey; CM Soren gives green light

The Jharkhand government has granted approval for a caste-based survey in the state, mirroring the initiative carried out in Bihar. The Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Champai Soren has given the green light for a comprehensive caste-based survey in the state, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying.

The Chief Minister has instructed the personnel department to draft a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for conducting the survey, which will be presented before the cabinet for approval. If all goes as planned, the survey is expected to commence after the Lok Sabha elections.

"Jiski Jitni Sankhya Bhari, Uski Utni Hissedari (Bigger the population, bigger the share). Jharkhand is ready." Vinay Kumar Choubey, principal secretary to the CM, told PTI, "The personnel department will prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) to conduct the survey in Jharkhand. It will be placed before the cabinet for approval," the CM posted on X.

The caste survey in Jharkhand will follow the model of the neighboring state of Bihar, where data collection took place between January 7 and October 2 of the previous year. Choubey mentioned that while several departments were considered, the personnel department was ultimately chosen to conduct the survey.

The caste-based survey aims to not only study the prevalence of various communities in the state but also analyse the social and economic issues faced by the different components of the population. For instance, the caste-based survey would examine social factors like literacy rates, healthcare access, and employment opportunities among different castes.

The caste survey in Jharkhand is anticipated to commence shortly after the Lok Sabha elections, with the personnel department tasked with conducting the survey. Legislators from the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD government have persistently called for a caste-based survey, a demand also echoed by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his recent visit to Jharkhand as part of the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.'

During his visit to Jharkhand, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi committed to implementing a nationwide caste census and lifting the 50 per cent cap on reservations if the opposition INDIA bloc formed the government at the Centre following the Lok Sabha polls.

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