Congress will force Centre to include caste count in national census: Revanth Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said that Congress would force the Centre to include caste count in the national census next year to pave the way for providing "political, education and employment reservations" by breaching the 50 per cent cap on quotas.

Speaking at the Children's Day celebrations organised here on Thursday, he said the state government's ongoing caste survey should be made successful to realise its objectives, including increasing reservations and allocation of resources proportionate to population.

Some are spreading false information that the government benefits would be stopped if the details are furnished as part of the survey but the exercise would only increase the benefits to eligible beneficiaries, he said.

Describing the caste survey as a "mega health check up for the society", he said the government intends to provide welfare schemes to all after collecting relevant details from the people.

Highlighting the government's initiatives in education sector, Reddy asserted that those who supply inferior quality items to government residential schools would be sent to jail.

He said the government has increased the allocation of funds for providing food and other basic needs to the students of the residential schools. The Telangana government's "historic" comprehensive socio-economic, employment, political and caste survey, an election promise of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, got underway on November 6.