Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said on Saturday that the state has completed its headcount even before Bihar, as far as caste-based census is concerned. He further added that based on the census the state government is planning to bring the reservation policy.
"As far as caste-based census is concerned, Chhattisgarh completed its headcount even before Bihar. And based on that we are bringing the reservation policy," the chief minister was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.
Slamming the previous chief minister of the state, Baghel said: "Raman Singh says we have taken many loans. February is half gone our govt. hasn’t taken any loans. In March we may. Just compare it to loans taken by MP and UP. So money management can also be done by Kisaan’s son and I have done it. Even after running all schemes," according to ANI.
On January 7, the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government began the long-awaited caste census in the state. The Bihar cabinet decided on a caste census on June 2, last year, months after the Union had ruled out such an activity in the Census. Previously, the state's chief minister and deputy chief minister met with Prime Minister Modi to discuss the problem.
The door-to-door survey would cover an estimated 12.70 crore people in 2.58 crore households across 38 districts, 534 blocks, and 261 urban local bodies. By May 31, 2023, the survey would be completed, as per the reports.
Between 1881 and 1931, the British enumerated caste in their decadal censuses. Following that, the practice was abandoned, and independent India did not reinstate it as part of the regular census.