PATNA: One-and-a-half months before the beginning of Census India-2021, CM Nitish Kumar on Wednesday advocated for a caste-based census across the country. “A caste-based census will give a correct figure about the population of each caste. It will help governments take a better decision for the development and welfare of people,” Nitish told the media at JD(U) office.
Nitish also said the Centre should implement the Karpoori Thakur’s formula of reservation to the extremely backward classes (EBCs) in the central government jobs.
The Census India-2021 will be conducted from April 1 to September 30 through a mobile phone application, moving away from the traditional pen and paper. Enumerators would seek the mobile phone number of the family head besides other informations about toilets, TV, internet, vehicles owned, source of drinking water and other matters during the house-listing phase of the exercise, a census official told TOI.
Nitish said caste-based census must be done in the country at least once. “Earlier, such census used to take place in the country, but the practice was stopped after the independence,” he said.
Recalling a unanimous resolution passed by both houses of the state legislature last year demanding caste-based census, Nitish said, “It is not only me but all members of Bihar Vidhan Sabha and Bihar Vidhan Parishad passed a unanimous resolution in this regard and sent its copy to the Centre last year.”
When asked whether the 12 vacant MLC seats of nomination quota would be filled up before the beginning of Budget session on February 19, Nitish, “You all know we want to do every work.”
Regarding his meeting with some elected representatives of other political parties recently, Nitish said, “Elected representatives of any political parties can meet me as the CM. When an MP, MLA or MLC wants to meet me, I give him appointment.”
Nitish admitted that LJP MP from Nawada Chandan Kumar and former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar had met him recently. Both Chandan and an MLA of Kanhaiya’s party CPI met him with some issues of their constituencies. “But, there was no political discussion with them,” he clarified.