Latest news with #JusticeDas
Time of India
18-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Survey of Scheduled Castes: Lack of awareness poses challenge for enumerators
Bengaluru: Field workers conducting caste-based enumeration of Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Bengaluru say they are facing massive challenges, spending three minutes at non-SC households and up to half-an-hour at SC households. The bigger challenge, though, has been technical difficulties with the survey's mobile application and the weather since rain has been pounding the city over the past couple of weeks. The survey, overseen by the Justice HN Nagamohan Das committee , is to allocate internal reservation for SCs but enumerators say citizens don't know why the survey is being conducted and that they spend considerable time explaining its necessity, especially in apartment complexes where lack of communication by associations is rampant. Confirming this, an apartment dweller in Yelahanka zone said that his apartment association circulated a notice informing residents that BBMP officials were conducting a caste census and requested their cooperation. "We were not aware that it was a caste-wise enumeration of SCs," he said. "BBMP officials and the apartment association should inform people about the specific intention of the survey." Enumerators, largely teachers from govt schools, say many people refused to participate in the survey with some, especially from the non-SC community, even abusing them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Another enumerator pointed out that she found several houses locked between 8.30am and 6.30pm, the time she was supposed to survey residents. "Working couples leave home before we reach them and return only after 6.30pm after our day's work is done," she said. "We have attempted two or three times to reach out to such families but were unable to survey them. They can use the third phase, an online self-declaration option, to participate in the survey." Justice Das admitted that the survey had initially faced hurdles. "There was a lack of competent teachers who could collect this data," Justice Das said. "The commission held a meeting with BBMP chief commissioner and zonal commissioners last week. It was decided to deploy anganwadi workers and accredited social health activists (ASHA workers) who are graduates to collect data. After appointing more enumerators, the survey is on in full swing. " Justice Das said, in Bengaluru, 55,027 SC families have been surveyed while enumerators also met 13 lakh non-SC families until Thursday (May 15).
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Survey of Schedule Castes for internal reservation to miss June deadline
Bengaluru: The govt's move to provide internal reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) is set to be delayed since several Dalit representatives have sought more time to provide details for an ongoing survey to enumerate castes and sub-castes of communities. While submitting its interim report to chief minister Siddaramaiah on April 27, a commission led by Justice HN Nagamohan Das recommended a scientific survey to enumerate SC communities. The govt agreed, giving Justice Das 60 days to secure this data. The commission was supposed to submit its report by June, but officials say the deadline may be extended. "Many community leaders have approached the govt urging it to grant the commission more time to complete the survey," said home minister and senior Dalit functionary G Parameshwara. "They have also written to the Justice Das Commission. We understand that it is a huge exercise and needs time, but the CM will take the final call." Reclassification of SC communities and providing them with internal reservation has been a contentious issue with the Right and Left sects wrangling over it for decades. While the Right sect, considered socio-economically forward, is opposing internal reservation, it is a long-pending demand of the Left sect. The Siddaramaiah govt decided to draw up a quota matrix after the Supreme Court, in Aug last year, placed the onus of reclassification of SC communities on state govts. The Justice Das Commission was set up in Dec last year. "I earlier said I am not committing to the deadline but will do all I can to complete the task as early as possible," said Justice Das. "We have made a lot of progress with the survey. I will provide details about it tomorrow (Friday)." The survey was divided into three phases with door-to-door enumeration beginning on May 4. In the second phase, the commission planned to set up public camps to obtain data from those who missed the door-to-door survey. The third and final phase is to collect data through an app. Authorities say the survey has covered about 50% of households. They also say there are more than the govt's estimate of 18.5 lakh households which they must visit. It is said the survey has covered 10.5 lakh houses so far. While the survey is on schedule in cities like Bengaluru, progress has been slow in rural areas. "We have a target of covering 45,224 houses in Bengaluru, and we have covered 38,000 so far. The deadline for the first phase is May 17, but we expect to complete the task a day earlier," said G Jagadisha, deputy commissioner, Bengaluru Urban.
