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Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Telangana BC survey can't be role model: Panel ex-chief
1 2 3 Hyderabad: Telangana Backward Classes (BC) Commission former chairman Vakulabharanam Krishna Mohan Rao has expressed serious objections over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi 's portrayal of Telangana's caste enumeration and 42% BC reservation initiative as a "national role model." He stated that the Telangana caste survey was conducted without authority as per the Constitution and legal framework. In an open letter to Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, Krishna Mohan Rao mentioned that while the Article 342A(3) permits states to maintain their own BC lists, any enumeration or survey, related to the identification of BCs must be conducted by a commission constituted under the Article 340 with the assent of the President, or under statutory provisions such as the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, or the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008. He noted that the SEEEPC (Socio-Economic Educational Employment Political Caste) survey in Telangana was executed by the planning department through IAS officers, without the authority of any such legally mandated body, rendering it unconstitutional. "The caste survey lacks public consultation, transparency, and scientific rigour, with no caste-wise data made public to date. Despite this, the Telangana govt proceeded to act upon it," the ex-chairman said. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Đăng ký Undo He stated that the BC reservation in education and employment falls squarely under the purview of the BC Commission. He added that the govt could have entrusted the BC Commission with this task, backed by clear terms of reference (TOR), and ensured a scientifically sound process. "Unfortunately, that was not done," he said.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Quota pie still in the making, but parties in Tamil Nadu demand their slice
The caste census, seen as crucial for evolving policies, may also open a Pandora's box of reservation debates, especially in Tamil Nadu, where quota politics is heating up. Tamil Nadu's quota politics is under scrutiny as the Union govt-proposed caste census sparks demand for increased reservation and potential legal and political challenges. The DMK govt has claimed the census is a "hard-earned victory." Parties such as PMK are pushing for additional data for internal quota, while Thol Thirumavalavan's VCK is demanding 60 notified scheduled caste communities be declared adi dravidars. This has raised concerns about the impact on existing quotas and the need for legal amendments to address proportional representation. The Tamil Nadu govt has given the state's backward classes commission time until July 11 to file its report on internal reservation for most backward classes and denotified communities due to a lack of sufficient primary data. This followed the Supreme Court striking down in 2022 the 10.5% vanniyar quota, a strategic move by the AIADMK govt, just hours before the 2021 assembly election. The contentious quota followed considerable negotiation between the two parties, with AIADMK's potential ally PMK pushing for a 15% quota before settling for 10.5%. The Supreme Court cited the use of antiquated data as the reason for its decision to strike it down. DMK ally VCK believes it's time for adjustments in the reservation system. "Increase in SC reservation is long overdue. SCs make up 24% of Tamil Nadu's population. We want a proportional reservation to increase from 18%," says VCK MP D Ravikumar. "The ST quota is at 1% but must get an increase of 2%. When the OBC quota is addressed, SC/ST will also have to be taken care of too. Legal challenges have to be faced. Amendments should be made to change the cap of 50% on reservation. " The Modi govt's 2021 decision to group seven SC communities under the devendra kula vellalar label has fuelled demands. The move, along with the existing 3% internal quota for arunthathiyars, has prompted VCK's adi dravidar demand. The SC communities that form arunthathiyars include chakkiliyan, madari, madiga, pagadi, thoti, and adi Andhra. VCK's political opponent, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, has publicly offered support to DMK if vanniyars are granted a 15% internal quota. PMK had previously pushed for a caste census at the national level. In 2008, as Union Minister, Anbumani presented a petition to the Centre, signed by more than 140 OBC MPs, calling for such a census. Now, PMK says the Union govt's planned caste census will be superficial, arguing that additional statistics are needed to provide internal reservation within TN. "The state govt must conduct its own caste survey under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, to know details including caste, education, employment, and economy," says PMK spokesman K Balu. "Without this, internal quotas will not be provided. The state should not wait for census data." The caste census is expected to open the floodgates for quota adjustments. There is an under-representation of arunthathiyars in jobs despite the exclusive 3% quota, says writer and Tamil Nadu Sakiya Arunthathiyar Sangam president M Mathivannan. "Arunthathiyars constitute much of adi dravidars in the state, but they are under-represented in jobs. The caste census will bring out the true status." He urges the state govt to increase internal reservation based on the caste census. A former AIADMK minister has cautioned that smaller communities benefiting from bigger quotas could lose out if reservation is based on population numbers. "The 50 lakh strong, 24 manai Telugu chettiar community should be granted MBC status," says former AIADMK minister Pollachi V Jayaraman. "The community falls under BC and MBC categories. The census will reveal their backwardness in education and employment. " If the demand for population-based reservation is conceded, it will result in more than 90% quota. This is higher than the existing 69% quota, which is under judicial review. The Supreme Court ruling in the Indra Sawhney case has set a precedent for reservation policies. The court stated that Article 16 (4) requires "adequate" rather than "proportionate." This judgment has been consistently cited by courts, including in the recent Maratha quota verdict, which struck down the law due to the community's "adequate representation" in public service. As the 50% reservation cap cannot be breached, the introduction of the 10% EWS quota has drawn sharp criticism from certain quarters. DMK, in 2021, made a poll promise to push for a caste census to regain OBC support perceived to have been alienated by AIADMK due to internal quota for vanniyars. The DMK govt is believed to have avoided conducting a survey due to potential implications. Following the Union cabinet's decision to hold a caste census, DMK has been actively promoting the leadership's efforts, believing this move could benefit the party in the 2026 assembly election. Former bureaucrat Ashok Vardhan Shetty says a caste census will help address the issue of caste-based disparities. "Not counting caste will not make it go away any more than not taking a CT scan will make your tumour disappear. A caste census is the statistical equivalent of opening your eyes to confront reality. If marginalised castes don't show up in the Census and survey data, they don't show up in policies. When that happens, they disappear from public imagination. What we're left with is a statistical fog in which dominant castes monopolise income, wealth, and opportunity while pretending caste doesn't exist," he says. Since 1951, the census has enumerated 2,000 castes and tribes under the SC/ST categories, says Shetty. "Adding the remaining 4,000-plus OBCs and upper castes is a simple extension of the method and legally warranted since OBCs and EWS among the upper castes enjoy reservation." There is an expectation that the caste census will help protect the existing 69% reservation in Tamil Nadu as the constitutional validity of this law has been challenged in the apex court. DMK MP and former additional solicitor general P Wilson says the Union govt should increase reservation for OBC, SC/ST, as the state already has the highest. He believes a caste census will help strengthen the state's 69% reservation and potentially increase the quota. "If conducted properly, the caste census would provide strong data to strengthen the case before the Supreme Court along with reports the state possesses through various commissions," he says. Email your feedback with name and address to Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Quota pie still in the making, but parties demand their slice
The caste census, seen as crucial for evolving policies, may also open a Pandora's box of reservation debates, especially in Tamil Nadu, where quota politics is heating up. Tamil Nadu's quota politics is under scrutiny as the Union govt-proposed caste census sparks demand for increased reservation and potential legal and political challenges. The DMK govt has claimed the census is a "hard-earned victory." Parties such as PMK are pushing for additional data for internal quota, while Thol Thirumavalavan's VCK is demanding 60 notified scheduled caste communities be declared adi dravidars. This has raised concerns about the impact on existing quotas and the need for legal amendments to address proportional Tamil Nadu govt has given the state's backward classes commission time until July 11 to file its report on internal reservation for most backward classes and denotified communities due to a lack of sufficient primary data. This followed the Supreme Court striking down in 2022 the 10.5% vanniyar quota, a strategic move by the AIADMK govt, just hours before the 2021 assembly election. The contentious quota followed considerable negotiation between the two parties, with AIADMK's potential ally PMK pushing for a 15% quota before settling for 10.5%. The Supreme Court cited the use of antiquated data as the reason for its decision to strike it ally VCK believes it's time for adjustments in the reservation system. "Increase in SC reservation is long overdue. SCs make up 24% of Tamil Nadu's population. We want a proportional reservation to increase from 18%," says VCK MP D Ravikumar. "The ST quota is at 1% but must get an increase of 2%. When the OBC quota is addressed, SC/ST will also have to be taken care of too. Legal challenges have to be faced. Amendments should be made to change the cap of 50% on reservation."The Modi govt's 2021 decision to group seven SC communities under the devendra kula vellalar label has fuelled demands. The move, along with the existing 3% internal quota for arunthathiyars, has prompted VCK's adi dravidar demand. The SC communities that form arunthathiyars include chakkiliyan, madari, madiga, pagadi, thoti, and adi political opponent, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, has publicly offered support to DMK if vanniyars are granted a 15% internal quota. PMK had previously pushed for a caste census at the national level. In 2008, as Union Minister, Anbumani presented a petition to the Centre, signed by more than 140 OBC MPs, calling for such a census. Now, PMK says the Union govt's planned caste census will be superficial, arguing that additional statistics are needed to provide internal reservation within TN. "The state govt must conduct its own caste survey under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, to know details including caste, education, employment, and economy," says PMK spokesman K Balu. "Without this, internal quotas will not be provided. The state should not wait for census data."The caste census is expected to open the floodgates for quota adjustments. There is an under-representation of arunthathiyars in jobs despite the exclusive 3% quota, says writer and Tamil Nadu Sakiya Arunthathiyar Sangam President M Mathivannan. "Arunthathiyars constitute much of adi dravidars in the state, but they are under-represented in jobs. The caste census will bring out the true status." He urges the state govt to increase internal reservation based on the caste census.A former AIADMK minister has cautioned that smaller communities benefiting from bigger quotas could lose out if reservation is based on population numbers. "The 50 lakh strong, 24 manai Telugu chettiar community should be granted MBC status," says former AIADMK Minister Pollachi V Jayaraman. "The community falls under BC and MBC categories. The census will reveal their backwardness in education and employment."If the demand for population-based reservation is conceded, it will result in more than 90% quota. This is higher than the existing 69% quota, which is under judicial review. The Supreme Court ruling in the Indra Sawhney case has set a precedent for reservation policies. The court stated that Article 16 (4) requires "adequate" rather than "proportionate." This judgment has been consistently cited by courts, including in the recent Maratha quota verdict, which struck down the law due to the community's "adequate representation" in public service. As the 50% reservation cap cannot be breached, the introduction of the 10% EWS quota has drawn sharp criticism from certain in 2021, made a poll promise to push for a caste census to regain OBC support perceived to have been alienated by AIADMK due to internal quota for vanniyars. The DMK govt is believed to have avoided conducting a survey due to potential implications. Following the Union cabinet's decision to hold a caste census, DMK has been actively promoting the leadership's efforts, believing this move could benefit the party in the 2026 assembly bureaucrat Ashok Vardhan Shetty says a caste census will help address the issue of caste-based disparities. "Not counting caste will not make it go away any more than not taking a CT scan will make your tumour disappear. A caste census is the statistical equivalent of opening your eyes to confront reality. If marginalised castes don't show up in the Census and survey data, they don't show up in policies. When that happens, they disappear from public imagination. What we're left with is a statistical fog in which dominant castes monopolise income, wealth, and opportunity while pretending caste doesn't exist," he says. Since 1951, the census has enumerated 2,000 castes and tribes under the SC/ST categories, says Shetty. "Adding the remaining 4,000-plus OBCs and upper castes is a simple extension of the method and legally warranted since OBCs and EWS among the upper castes enjoy reservation."There is an expectation that the caste census will help protect the existing 69% reservation in Tamil Nadu as the constitutional validity of this law has been challenged in the apex court. DMK MP and former Additional Solicitor General P Wilson says the Union govt should increase reservation for OBC, SC/ST, as the state already has the highest. He believes a caste census will help strengthen the state's 69% reservation and potentially increase the quota. "If conducted properly, the caste census would provide strong data to strengthen the case before the Supreme Court along with reports the state possesses through various commissions," he your feedback with name and address to
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Caste survey by State govt. essential for assessing socio-economic conditions of various communities: Anbumani
Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday said that State governments must conduct a detailed caste survey under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 to understand the real socio-economic conditions of each community. He urged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately announce such a survey. Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Dr. Anbumani welcomed the Centre's announcement of conducting a caste census as part of the upcoming population census. 'This is the first time since Independence that the Centre has come forward to carry out a caste census. It was the BJP government that provided constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes and also formed the Justice G. Rohini Commission for sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs)' Criticising the Congress for failing to act, Dr. Anbumani said, 'Despite being in power for several years, the Congress did not conduct a caste census. During my tenure as a Cabinet Minister under the United Progressive Alliance, I urged then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then Home Minister Shivraj Patil to conduct the caste census along with the 2011 population census, but the Congress government failed to do so.' He added that it would take four to five years to compile and publish the results of the caste census, which would only reveal the headcount of each community. While a caste survey by State governments under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, could provide a complete understanding of the socio-economic status of different communities. 'To protect the 69% reservation currently in place in Tamil Nadu, a caste survey is essential, and only the State government can conduct it. Through such a survey, we can obtain detailed data on education, economic conditions, and employment opportunities of various communities. The State government can then formulate people-centric welfare schemes based on this data. It is crucial to immediately announce a caste survey to assess how the 69% reservation is benefiting the 377 communities,' he added.
Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Opinion Mapping capex by private sector: Well begun
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released the first ever 'Forward-Looking Survey on Private Sector CAPEX Investment Intentions'. Capex essentially refers to capital expenditure, which means money spent towards the creation of long-term productive assets in the economy. As the survey underscores, 'capex is fundamental to expanding production capacity, thereby serving as a catalyst for accelerated economic growth. This growth, in turn, supports job creation and enhances labour productivity.' For a developing economy such as India, high growth rate in capex is central to achieving the ambition of becoming a prosperous nation and transitioning to becoming a developed country. The survey was conducted between November 2024 and January 2025. The primary objective of this survey is to estimate the capex trends of private corporate sector enterprises for five years: From the past three financial years (2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24, in the current instance) along with anticipated capital expenditure for the current year (2024-25, in this instance) and the upcoming financial year (2025-26). Out of a total of 3,064 responding enterprises, only 2,172 reported their capex data (actual and intentions) for the full five-year period. Even though the survey was conducted under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, MoSPI noted that many companies had reservations about sharing data, thanks to concerns relating to legitimacy and cyber-risks. As a result, even MoSPI advises caution when reading the data. 'As this is the first round of the survey, the findings may be seen as indicative and subject to refinement in future iterations,' it says. On the whole, the data shows sharp fluctuations in private capex from one year to another — varying from Rs 3.9 trillion in FY22 to Rs 5.7 trillion in FY23, then falling to Rs 4.2 trillion in FY24 before rising to Rs 6.6 trillion in FY25 and then falling to as low as Rs 4.9 trillion in FY26. The year on year variations are so substantial that one can draw very different conclusions based on the year chosen for analysis. For instance, between FY22 and FY25, the capex grew by 66 per cent but if you add the current year (FY26), the overall growth fell to 23 per cent. Even so, the survey underscores the existing notion that private sector capex has not grown fast enough. The Union government's capex, for instance, grew by 230 per cent in the five years between FY21 and FY25. The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been trying to incentivise private sector capex because it believes that only when the private sector starts investing can India make the economic transition. To that end, it is a welcome move that the government has now started formally mapping capex by the private sector. In the coming years, it will further help policymakers and corporations in making better choices.
