Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi said in Belagavi on Tuesday that he is in favour of a caste census in the State. “I welcome the move of the Bihar government in releasing caste census data. I think it will be good if Karnataka does the same. Our caste census has been completed and is ready for release. The Chief Minister and the government should take a decision and release the data,” he said.
“Caste census data is essential for taking up welfare and development programmes. This basic data is the foundation on which we can build a more equal society. We will know which community faces what problems, what it needs and what solutions can be provided to it. People of all communities need opportunities for education and employment. The government can help such communities better, if clear data is available,” he said.
To a query, he said that the last Congress government could not release the data due to impending elections. “Now, we need to release it as soon as possible. After all, we have spent around ₹200 crore on the exercise,” he said.
