Telangana Assembly passes resolution asking Centre to conduct nationwide caste survey
Hyderabad, Feb 4 (PTI): The Telangana Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Tuesday, urging the Centre to emulate the household caste and socioeconomic survey conducted by the state government.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy moved the resolution assuring that the state government is committed to the development of Backward Classes, SCs and STs and other marginal sections.
Earlier during a debate on a statement made by the CM on the salient points of the survey, Revanth Reddy informed the house that the Congress party will put pressure to conduct the survey nationwide, on the Centre through the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi by raising it in the Parliament.
Reddy said, as assured by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, the survey was conducted, and that too within one year of time.
Observing that a constitutional amendment is required to provide 42 per cent reservations to Backward Classes as per law (which leads to breaching the 50 per cent cap on quotas), Reddy said the Congress would provide a 42 per cent quota for Backward Classes in the upcoming local body elections in the state.
Before the 2023 assembly polls, the Congress had promised to increase the backward class reservations in local bodies to 42 per cent.
Earlier, Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar adjourned the House till 2 pm, after the government requested the presiding officer, citing an incomplete cabinet meeting.
Soon after the session began, Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu informed the Speaker that the cabinet meeting was still going and it would take some more time to prepare the minutes of the meeting.
The state cabinet met on Tuesday morning to deliberate on the caste survey conducted in the state, before presenting it to the Assembly for discussion.
However, the BRS legislators found fault with the treasury benches, alleging that the government’s acts amounted to "insulting" the House.
Former Minister and senior BRS senior leader Prashanth Reddy said it is surprising that the House was adjourned without taking up any business.
"It has never happened in history. The situation is nothing but insulting the members and the House," Reddy said.
He said the government had informed that the cabinet meeting would be held at 10 am and the session would commence at 11 am.
The state planning department, which conducted the caste survey, submitted its report to the cabinet sub-committee headed by Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on February 2.
According to the caste survey, Backward Classes, excluding Muslim minorities, form the largest group, constituting 46.25 per cent of Telangana’s total 3.70 crore population.
The BC population is followed by Scheduled Castes at 17.43 per cent, Scheduled Tribes at 10.45 per cent, Backward Classes among Muslims at 10.08 per cent, Other Castes at 13.31 per cent, and OCs among Muslims at 2.48 per cent.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
