Rajasthan to conduct caste-based survey, second state in India

Gehlot emphasized the need for a 'Right to Social Security' act in the country, stating that it would bring clarity to who is eligible for benefits through proper surveys.

Jaipur: Rajasthan will become the second state in the country after Bihar to conduct Caste based Survey after the state government passed an order on Saturday to conduct the survey.

In an order issued by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Rajasthan Government, it was said “Keeping in view the backwardness of all sections of the state, with the aim of taking special welfare measures and interpreting various welfare schemes for all sections of the state and improving the standard of living of all sections by providing them social and economic upliftment and support and in compliance with the decision taken by the State Cabinet, a Caste-Based Survey will be conducted.” This comes after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced that soon his state would undertake a caste-based census, mirroring the recent initiative undertaken by Bihar.

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“I always say that the ‘Right to Social Security’ act should be made in this country… If all these laws are made, then who will get benefits and who won’t, who is eligible and who is not, all these things will be clear once a survey is conducted… We are going to do this”, Gehlot stated.

It was mentioned in the order that updated information and data will be collected regarding social, economic and educational levels and the survey will be executed by the Planning (Economic and Statistics) Department.

“The department will act as the nodal department for the above work. At the district level, the District Collector will be the nodal officer for survey work and will be in overall charge of it,” the order said.

The Department will also prepare a questionnaire for the survey work so that complete information about the social, economic and educational level of each person can be obtained.

“The information and data obtained from the survey will have to be fed online, for which a separate special software and mobile app will be created by the Information and Technology Department. All the information collected from the survey will be kept safe by the said department,” the order further said.