New socio-economic survey report on caste categorisation to be out

Bengaluru, Mar 17: Social Welfare Minister H?Anjaneya has announced that the socio-economic survey report being prepared by the Backward Classes Commission would prevail over all the old reports pertaining to caste categorisation.

Karjol drew the attention of the government to agitation by members of the Maratha community demanding that the government include their community under the backward category 2A. He said the government must announce whether the demand would be accepted.

Anjaneya said the erstwhile Shankarappa Commission in its first report had recommended the inclusion of Maratha community under category 2A. However, the present commission (overseen by H Kantharaju) is in the process of compiling data collected on social, education and economic status of households. Hence, it is not possible to consider the old reports, he added.

However, the minister was not specific about when the socio-economic survey report would be submitted to the government.

BJP was not satisfied with the reply. Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar said the media had published the highlights of the survey report. Karjol said that through the survey, the government was trying to divide society further. The minister said media reports were based on the 2011 census of the Centre. The chief minister would decide the date for accepting the report, he added.