Government's Bold Move: Caste Census to Usher in Equitable Policies

The Population Foundation of India praised the government's decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census. This step aims to create equitable and inclusive policies by addressing intersectional disparities. Meaningful data utilization is crucial for designing effective social welfare programs. The announcement has stirred political debates.

The Population Foundation of India has lauded the government's recent decision to incorporate caste enumeration into the next census. This move, it argues, is pivotal for crafting truly equitable and inclusive policies. Poonam Muttreja, the executive director, emphasized the profound impact intersectional variables like caste, community, and income have on inequalities.

Muttreja underlined that while the decision is monumental, the genuine effectiveness hinges on the purposeful use of the collected data. Structural disparities affect access to services such as education, nutrition, healthcare, and social protection. She added that the absence of caste-specific data has long restricted the potential of social programs to make substantive changes.

In a groundbreaking declaration, the government announced the inclusion of caste enumeration in the forthcoming census, positioning it as a transparent process amidst critiques from the opposition. Despite the opposition's push for a nationwide caste census, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted some states conducted similar surveys without transparency, leading to societal doubts.

(With inputs from agencies.)