Course on caste census to be decided by next week, says Karnataka minister

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that the Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, also known as the "caste census", will either be referred to a Cabinet subcommittee or introduced in the legislature, based on what the Cabinet decides next week.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the caste census will "most likely" be placed before the Cabinet for discussion on October 18.

"We were accused of keeping the caste census in the cold storage after spending so much money. Now when we are saying that we will make it public, they are not able to take it," Parameshwara, a senior leader from the SC community, said, hitting back at the opposition over its criticism.

Speaking to reporters here, he said everyone in the state knows that backward classes, minorities and Dalits are more in number, and in the days ahead for the government to plan and prepare programmes, the caste census will be helpful.

"... shouldn't we prepare and give programmes for those ...