Karnataka govt to abide by HC order on caste census: Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister for Backward Class Development Shivaraj S Tangadagi on Friday said the state government will abide by the High Court’s directive regarding the Social and Educational Survey, popularly known as the "caste census", currently underway in the state.
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday declined to stay the survey but directed the State Backward Classes Commission to maintain the confidentiality of the collected data and ensure voluntary participation of citizens.
The survey, being conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, began on Monday and is scheduled to continue until October 7.
"Abiding by law is our duty and responsibility. We will abide by the court’s direction," Tangadagi told reporters here when asked about the HC order to maintain confidentiality.
On whether participation is compulsory, he said, "We (government) too have said the same thing, we have said that participation in the survey is voluntary. We have not put any compulsion in the past and will not do it in the future either."
The minister added that the cabinet has warned government officials and staff deputed for the survey of disciplinary action if they fail to participate in the enumeration process assigned to them.
Concerns have been raised about "the slow pace of the survey due to technical and server issues affecting data collection."
Enumerators visiting households have faced problems with the mobile application used for the survey in several areas, including server outages, OTP generation failures, and network connectivity issues, sources said.
Asked about technical glitches affecting the survey, Tangadagi said, "Those will be rectified".
According to officials, the survey has been delayed in the Greater Bengaluru area, where five newly formed corporations sought more time for training and preparations.
The survey will involve about 1.75 lakh enumerators, mostly government school teachers, covering around 7 crore people in approximately 2 crore households across the state.
Estimated to cost Rs 420 crore, the exercise is being conducted "scientifically", with a 60-question questionnaire, officials said. The commission is expected to submit its report to the government by December.
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Maoist carrying bounty of Rs 15 lakh among four killed in gunfight with security forces in J’khand
Hazaribag (PTI): Four Maoists, including one carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district on Friday, police officials said.
The encounter took place in the Khapia forest area within the Keredari police station limits, following a tip-off.
"Four Maoists were killed in a gunfight with joint forces in 'Operation KotiNeer'. The Maoists killed have been identified as regional committee member Sahdeo Maho, carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh, Ranjit Ganjhu, Zonal committee member, carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh," IG, CRPF, Saket Kumar Singh told mediapersons.
The remaining two are Area Commander Budhan Karmali, carrying a reward of Rs one lakh and sub-zonal committee member Natasha, a woman who hailed from Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.
SDPO of Barkagaon, Pawan Kumar, said that no security personnel were injured in the operation.
The Maoists killed were wanted in about 80 cases.
With the encounter, only 57 Maoists are left in the state, the IG said.
A number of arms were also recovered during the operation including two AK 47 and one INSAS rifles.
The development comes close on the heels of a fierce exchange of fire between a Maoist squad headed by Misir Besra, who carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore, and police personnel on April 15 in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum. Four security personnel were injured in the encounter.
The Centre has already informed the state governments that there are no Naxal violence-affected districts in the country, more than five decades since Left Wing Extremism (LWE) originated in India.
The declaration followed a high-level security review held earlier this month by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the mandated 'National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism' formulated in 2015.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament on March 30 that India was free from Maoists.
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