Caste census report to be implemented: CM

Mysuru: Maintaining that his Government conducted the Socio-Economic Census (Caste Census) in order to identify the deprived sections, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said here that the Caste Census report will be tabled at the next Cabinet meeting and measures will be taken to implement its recommendations.

He was speaking after inaugurating Mysuru District BCM Hostels Senior Students Society at a programme organised at Kalamandira on Hunsur Road here yesterday.

“The Government has accepted the Caste Census report. However, due to some reasons, the report has not yet been implemented,” he said.

Asserting that the Congress is for Caste Census, the CM said that it is notable that the Caste Census, along with the Population Census, has not taken place since 1931. Now Caste Census is being widely debated in all States of the country, he contended.

Continuing, the CM said that at present 1.87 lakh students are staying in Hostels across the State. The Government has increased the Unit expenses allotted to each student from Rs. 1,750 to Rs. 1,850 this year. At present, there are 822 Morarji Desai Residential Schools in the State and 20 more Residential Schools will be started this year, Siddaramaiah said adding that the Government plans to establish at least one Residential School in every hobli, for which the Govt. has taken measures.

Noting that the erstwhile Mysuru ruler Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar introduced the reservation system even before the Constitution came into being, the CM said that Nagegowda Committee was formed in the State in 1960 and Havanur Commission was formed when D. Devaraj Urs was the Chief Minister in the 1970s for bringing about reservation covering all Backward Classes.

The Havanur Commission report was implemented despite stiff opposition from some quarters, he said adding that the BCM Hostels was first established in 1977 when Urs was the Chief Minister. Since then, these hostels have grown enormously, with over 1.87 lakh students staying in them, he pointed out.

District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, MLAs Tanveer Sait, Anil Chikkamadu, Darshan Dhruvanarayan, D. Ravishankar and K. Harishgowda, MLC Dr. D. Thimmaiah, Society President B. Shivaswamy, who is also the current President of KAS Officers Association, Bengaluru, Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, ZP CEO K.M. Gayathri, Mandya Deputy Commissioner Dr. Kumara, who is also the Working President of the Society, other office-bearers M. Ramaiah, R. Mahadeva, B.P. Rajesh, K. Rukmangada, J.K. Ramegowda and others were present.