Hyderabad, Feb 5 (Reporter) Telangana Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday declared that the caste-based socio-economic survey conducted by the Congress government in the state was the most scientific, transparent, and accurate population study since Independence. Addressing the media at Assembly Committee Hall here before participating in a PowerPoint presentation by Planning Department Principal Secretary (Planning) Sandeep Kumar Sultania, State Nodal Officer & Hyderabad Collector Anudeep Durishetty, Uttam stated that this was the first-ever field-based caste survey undertaken after the 2011 Census, making all figures cited by opposition parties false and fictitious. The government had ensured the highest level of accuracy in data collection, Uttam, who headed the cabinet sub-committee for the caste survey, underscored that no authentic caste-based data had been compiled in the past, particularly for Backward Classes (BCs). Unlike previous studies, which were incomplete or unofficial, this was the first legitimate and detailed caste survey, he said, adding that the findings would help shape welfare policies by assessing the socio-economic conditions of different communities. He assured that the data was reliable and free from political influence, as government staff had carried out the entire exercise. The minister rejected claims that similar surveys had been conducted earlier, pointing out that the Intensive Household Survey (IHS) 2014 was never made public by the previous BRS government and that even the KCR government did not endorse it as official data. He asserted that the survey conducted by the Congress government was the only genuine attempt to document caste demographics accurately and that no one could challenge its authenticity. “Nobody can challenge us. These are the only real figures, and there is no need to be defensive. We are speaking the truth,” he declared. He called for countering the propaganda by opposition parties and said that anybody questioning the survey should be refuted with facts. He claimed that there was no official data on any caste except for the 2011 Census. He said SC categorisation was even based on the 2011 Census. Uttam clarified that the BC population percentage has increased compared to previous records. The BC population percentage, which was recorded at 51.09 percent during the BRS regime, has now risen to 56.33 perc ent. Similarly, the Scheduled Tribes (ST) population percentage increased from 9.8 percent to 10.45 per cent, while the Other Castes (OCs) population percentage decreased from 21.55 per cent to 15.79 per cent, he said. He strongly condemned the opposition leaders for falsely claiming that the BC population percentage has decreased. Speaker Gadam Prasad Kumar, Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Chief Whip Aadi Srinivas, MP Dr Mallu Ravi, along with MLCs and MLAs, attended the PPT presentation on the methodology and process adopted for the survey. The survey was executed meticulously, with over one lakh trained personnel deployed for data collection. The government divided the state into 94,261 Enumeration Blocks (EBs), covering approximately 150 households each. Enumerators, mainly government employees and teachers, received extensive training to ensure consistency in data collection. The process was completed within 50 days, demonstrating efficiency in large-scale data gathering. The formation of new Enumeration Blocks was essential due to urban expansion and migration trends, ensuring an updated and accurate count. The survey involved two phases: a house-listing phase (November 6-8, 2024) to identify and register households, followed by the main data collection phase (November 9-December 25, 2024). Once data collection was completed, processing and analysis were handled by the Centre for Good Governance (CGG) using advanced software. A total of 76,000 data entry operators were recruited to digitise responses within 36 days, utilising automated error detection mechanisms to ensure accuracy before categorising the data into four volumes covering state-wide statistics, rural and urban demographics, and caste-wise population figures. The survey also introduced ‘; No Caste” & “No Religion” categories, ensuring inclusivity and accurate representation of Telangana’s diverse population...////...