Jharkhand to conduct Bihar-like caste-based survey

Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren has given the go-ahead for a caste-based survey in the state on the lines of neighbouring Bihar, a senior official said on Sunday.

The CM has directed the personnel department to prepare a draft (SoP for conducting the survey) and place it before the cabinet for approval, he said.

If everything goes according to the plan, the exercise will begin after the Lok Sabha elections, the official said.

Indicating the survey, the CM posted on X, "Jiski Jitni Sankhya Bhari, Uski Utni Hissedari (Bigger the population, bigger the share). Jharkhand is ready."

Vinay Kumar Choubey, principal secretary to the CM, told PTI, "The personnel department will prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) to conduct the survey in Jharkhand. It will be placed before the cabinet for approval."

The caste survey will be conducted on the pattern of neighouring Bihar, where data collection was conducted between January 7 and October 2 last year, he added.

Choubey said that several departments, including rural and welfare, were considered but the personnel department was finalised for carrying out the survey.

He said that if everything goes according to the plan, the caste survey would commence just after the Lok Sabha elections.

Legislators of the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD government in Jharkhand have been demanding a caste-based survey in the state. They also raised the demand several times in the state assembly.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during his Jharkhand leg of the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in the first week of this month, also advocated for the caste census.

Gandhi had promised a nationwide caste census and the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservation if the opposition INDIA bloc formed the government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls.