BPL and caste based survey gets underway: To benefit the poor

| Last updated less than one minute ago

Submit :

News Photos Just In Debate Topic Latest News Articles Local News Blog Posts Pictures Reviews Recipes

Shrabani Mukherjee

29 June, 2011

BPL people will benefit after the government collates data collected from this massive caste and BPL-based survey, which will be carried out together. Accurate data will help the government to deliver BPL schemes in a more productive manner.

THE COUNTING of the Below the Poverty Line people in India starts today after the government announced it last month. This mammoth task begins in Tripura’s capital Agartala, a place mostly dominated by tribals. Census Commissioner of India C. Chandramauli said, "In the general census 2011 (Feb 9-28), people belonging to the scheduled tribes and scheduled castes have been counted. In the caste census, there would be four categories - scheduled tribe, scheduled caste, others and no caste.”

This census has come about after 14 years of first being undertaken, and is expected to conclude by the year end. This counting will take place in both the urban and the rural areas, and the result would be utilised in the 12th five year plan of 2016-17. This nationwide survey of the BPL people would give the government an inkling as to the total number of people eligible for various government’s schemes, and aid programmes, so that maximum benefit can reach these people. Findings of the survey are also expected to help in extending the Food Security Act that promises food to the poor.

The government, for the first time, is making sure that urban households are also included in such a survey, which is carried out jointly by the Ministry of Rural Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, and the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. As per the reports of the officials in this survey, destitutes, beggars, manual scavengers, primitive tribal groups, and legally released bonded labourers are the first priority for the government to be included in this list, and get all the basic amenities.

People with a concrete house of two rooms, one who has a phone line or fishing boat, agricultural equipment, owns two wheelers, has an income more than 10,000 per month and or has Kisan Credit Cards with Rs 50,000 - will be excluded from such lists.

Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, C Chandramauli, said, “Along with the BPL survey, the caste census would be conducted simultaneously across the country and that would also start from Wednesday.” All the data will be stored in computers, and tablets, which would be provided by the Bharat Electronic Ltd (BEL).

Although it is a huge and tedious task but the thought behind the survey is very noble, and if executed properly, would be fruitful to many people living below the poverty line in India.