In a bid to improve the number of households covered under the exercise, the Karnataka government has once again extended the deadline of the caste survey being carried out across the state.
The Socio-economic and Educational Survey by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes will now be carried out till October 31.
The announcement in this regard was made by Shivaraj Tangadagi, the Backward Classes Welfare, Kannada, and Culture Minister, following a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to review the progress of the survey.
The survey was earlier expected to conclude on Sunday.
After a three-day Diwali break, the exercise will resume on Thursday.
However, teachers roped in as enumerators for the survey will return to their teaching duties and the exercise will be completed by government officials.
The survey was initially scheduled to be held between September 22 and October 7. Later, it was extended till October 19 by the state government, seeking an improvement in the number of households covered.
Tangadagi told reporters that the progress in all districts, except four, has exceeded 90%. In Bengaluru Urban, the progress was around 45%, the minister told media during a briefing. “In Ramanagar, Bidar and Dharwad, the progress is 86%, 88%, and 89% respectively,” he said.
Informing that teachers will be exempted from the exercise, the minister said Deputy Commissioners of all districts have been directed to depute officials from various departments to complete the survey.
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Directions have also been issued to officials of various corporations under Greater Bengaluru Authority to complete the survey by October 31, he said.
The enumeration will resume on October 23 following a three-day government holiday from October 20 to 22 on account of Diwali. “After that, the survey will have to be completed in the remaining nine-day period,” Tangadagi said.
On Bengaluru Urban district lagging in enumeration, Tangadagi said the government was confident of completing 100% enumeration by the end of the month. The government has also asked MLAs from all parties to ensure effective participation in the survey.
Responding to a question, Tangadagi questioned statements by elected representatives such as Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya that they would boycott the survey. “Are these remarks made by people in responsible positions? When the national Census is held by the Central government, will Congress leaders make a call for boycott?” the minister asked. Stating that the survey is not meant only for backward communities, he said the purpose behind the exercise is to assess the socio-economic and educational conditions of all seven crore people of the state.
