PMK to stage protest for caste-based census

PMK would stage State-wide protests on September 28 demanding for caste-based census in Tamil Nadu.
Party president G. K. Mani said that PMK founder Dr S. Ramadoss will lead the demonstration at Chennai and himself at Salem. Party MLAs and other office-bearers would lead the protest in the respective districts, he told.
Following the Vanniyar Association protest in 1989, when Tamil Nadu was under Governor Rule, then Governor P. C. Alexander had announced conducting caste-based census for offering reservation but that was put in the backburner after elections held that year, Mr. Mani said.
No such census had been conducted in Tamil Nadu since 1931, he said.

जनगणना के द्वितीय चरण की तैयारियां शुरू

श्रीगंगानगर कलेक्टर सुबीरकुमार ने कहा है कि जनगणना देश का महत्वपूर्ण राष्ट्रीय कार्यक्रम है। इस कार्य को सही तरीके से और संवेदनशील होकर किया जाए। यह जनगणना देश के विकास की तस्वीर है। इन्हीं आंकड़ों के आधार पर देश में विकास और जनकल्याणकारी योजनाएं तैयार होंगी।

वे बुधवार को कलेक्ट्रेट सभाकक्ष में जनगणना 2011 के दूसरे चरण की तैयारियों को लेकर रखी बैठक को संबोधित कर रहे थे।

जनगणना निदेशालय जयपुर के सहायक निदेशक पुनीत मल्होत्रा एवं एमएल महावर ने जनगणना 2011 के दूसरे चरण के लिए की जाने वाली तैयारियों के संबंध में विस्तारपूर्वक जानकारी दी। उन्होंने दूसरे चरण के लिए विशेष रूप से संशोधित चार्ज रजिस्टर एवं संक्षिप्त मकान सूची तैयार करने के लिए कहा। जिला सांख्यिकी अधिकारी अशोक शर्मा ने जनगणना 2011 के तहत अब तक की गई तैयारियों के बारे में बताया। बैठक में एडीएम सिटी आरएस लांबा, आयुक्त जीवनदास सहित जिलेभर के अधिकारी उपस्थित थे।

वीडियो कान्फ्रेंस से जनगणना का जायजा

डायरेक्टर जनगणना आपरेशन पंजाब सीमा जैन ने वीडियो कान्फ्रेंस के जरिए जनगणना 2011 संबंधी चल रहे कामों का जायजा लिया।
जानकारी देते हुए एडीसी एपीएस विर्क ने बताया कि जनगणना के पहले पड़ाव में लगाए गए गिणतीकारों, सुपरवाईजर, मास्टर ट्रेनर, चार्ज अफसरों को उनका बनता मानभत्ता दे दिया गया है, यदि किसी का भत्ता रहता है तो एक सप्ताह के अंदर दे दिया जाएगा। उन्होंने बताया कि साल 2011 की जनगणना में जो खर्च हो रहा है उसका रिपोर्ट हर महीने स्थानीय सरकार के सचिव कोभेजने के साथ- साथ उसकी एक कापी जनगणना कार्यालय पंजाब को भी भेज रहे हैं।
उन्होंने डायरेक्टर को बताया कि सर्कुलर नंबर 14 व 15 के अनुसार जिन ब्लाकों की आबादी 800 से अधिक है, उन ब्लाकों के लिए पटियाला जिले में 209 और नए सब ब्लाक बनाए गए हैं और उनकी सूची अलग तौर पर बनाई जाएगी। शहर एरिया में स्लम ब्लाकों की जनगणना की अलग से ब्लाक बनाकर दी जाएगी। उन्होंने बताया कि घरों की सूचियां तैयार करने में डायरेक्टर जनगणना विभाग चंडीगढ़ के अधिकारियों द्वारा 1 अक्टूबर से 8 अक्टूबर तक हर जिले में ट्रेनिंग दी जाएगी।

Shiv Sena launches web war on caste Census

The Shiv Sena, which had opposed the Mandal Commission recommendations two decades ago, is invoking the philosophy of Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s father Keshav alias Prabodhankar Thackeray to oppose castewise Census.
The party has launched a website on Prabodhankar Thackeray, a social reformer who used to publish a fortnightly Prabodhan (Enlightenment) against social evil. Using Prabodhankar’s views against the caste system, the Sena seems to be reviving its anti-Mandal stand.
“Prabodhankar fought against undesired social traditions throughout his life, but the policy of the new government (of caste Census) has created a new casteism that will harm Maharashtra,” Bal Thackeray said in Sena mouthpiece Saamna on Saturday.
For the launch of the website, the Sena roped in the founder-president of the Dalit Panthers and noted poet Namdeo Dhasal, who writes a column in Saamna. Dhasal, who had fought street battles with the Sena in the 1970s, praised Prabodhankar for his fight against casteism. Dhasal said Bal Thackeray was carrying forward his father’s legacy and that Uddhav was also providing an able leadership.
Bal Thackeray has been all along opposing caste-based quota and favouring reservation based on economic status.

जनगणना करवाने के कैबिनेट के फैसले पर फिर से विरोध शुरू

वर्तमान जनगणना से अलग अगले साल जाति जनगणना करवाने के कैबिनेट के फैसले पर फिर से विरोध शुरू हो गया है।

जाति जनगणना को लेकर संसद में काफी उग्र रहे जद(यू) अध्यक्ष शरद यादव ने आरोप लगाया कि कहा कि प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह, संप्रग अध्यक्ष सोनिया गांधी और लोकसभा के नेता प्रणब मुखर्जी ने संसद का भरोसा तोड़ दिया। सरकार का फैसला न सिर्फ पैसे की बर्बादी है बल्कि पूरी गणना का उद्देश्य ही विफल कर देगा। केंद्रीय वित्त मंत्री प्रणब मुखर्जी को पत्र भेजकर उन्होंने पुनर्विचार करने और वर्तमान जनगणना में ही इसे लागू करने की मांग की।

CSeparate caste count a bad decision: Sharad Yadav

Criticising the government’s decision to conduct a separate census for caste-count, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav on Tuesday said the proposed exercise does not match their demand.
Yadav told a press conference that they had sought the compilation of data on the socio-economic status of various caste-groups, so that problems of social, economic and educational backwardness could be addressed. What the government initiative would yield would be just the numerical strength of each caste-group. “It would be a wastage of money, time and effort,” he added. These figures, according to him, “would only help parties (in selecting their candidates) in the polls.”
“We register our objection to this decision,” Yadav said, claiming that it was contrary to the commitment made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee to all parties that caste would be included in the census. “They have failed to keep their word,” he said.
The JD(U) chief called for an immediate review of the decision and suggested that caste identification be incorporated in the ongoing exercise, being conducted under Census Act, 1948.

Former CECs oppose caste census

Three days after the Union cabinet’s nod to the caste census, three former Chief Election Commissioners came on one platform criticising ‘the detrimental decision that will divide the nation on caste lines serving the needs of some vote starved political leaders.’
Though there were already protests against ‘the compiling and segregation of population on caste lines’ — a British practice being readopted after a gap of 80 years — the concern now comes from J.M. Lyngdoh, N. Gopalaswami and T.S. Krishnamurthy who earlier serving as CECs have expert, first-hand knowledge of the bond between caste and vote in the country.
Appealing to the government not to succumb to vote-politics, the Commissioners under the umbrella of Foundation for Advanced Management of Elections (FAME) said they will discuss the issue and decide to file a PIL in the Supreme Court against the decision.
“Votes are appealed on caste lines here. Apart from increasing the awareness of caste it will accentuate the worst trend of caste politics in the country,” N. Gopalaswami, former CEC said.
“So far the caste based (political or governmental) measures are based on rough estimates. The new exercise will serve on a platter the exact number of members in each caste leading to undesirable situations,” Gopalaswami, who is vice chairman (VC), FAME, added.
“(The cabinet decision) is a retrograde step. What good will it serve except being detrimental to the larger interests of the country,” J.M. Lyngdoh said. Lyngdoh, who is also Chairman of the body, said that FAME would discuss and take a decision on filing a PIL.
“This is certainly a serious issue. We have seen the kind of effect that caste has on politics, elections. Caste based census is condemnable with all reason,” T.S. Krishnamurthy said.
General secretary of FAME K.J. Rao said they will take along like-minded individuals and NGOs in opposing the move. The new wave of protest from the CECs will boost ‘Mera Jaat Hindustani’ campaign launched by a section of civil society

अलग से होगी जाति आधारित जनगणना

विपक्षी दलों की माँग को स्वीकार करते हुए सरकार ने आजादी के बाद पहली बार जाति आधारित जनगणना अलग से कराने का आज फैसला किया जो अगले वर्ष जून से सितंबर तक होगी। इस जनगणना में अनुसूचित जाति और अनुसूचित जनजाति के अलावा बाकी जातियों की गणना की जाएगी।

प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह की अध्यक्षता में यहाँ हुई केन्द्रीय मंत्रिमंडल की बैठक में यह फैसला किया गया। बैठक के बाद केंद्रीय गृह मंत्री पी. चिदंबरम ने संवाददाताओं को बताया कि सरकार ने जनगणना के मौजूदा कार्यक्रम को यथावत चलाने तथा जाति आधारित जनगणना अगले वर्ष जून से कराने का निर्णय लिया गया है। उन्होंने कहा कि घर-घर जाकर यह जनगणना की जाएगी। इसे जून 2011 में शुरू किया जाएगा और सितंबर 2011 तक इसे पूरा कर लिया जाएगा। उन्होंने कहा कि जाति आधारित जनगणना के बारे में गठित मंत्रिसमूह इस जनगणना पर होने वाले खर्च के बारे में निर्णय करेगी।

चिदंबरम ने बताया कि विधि एवं न्याय मंत्रालय से सलाह करके जाति आधारित आँकड़े एकत्र करने के लिये समुचित कानूनी व्यवस्था की जाएगी। भारतीय महापंजीयक एवं जनगणना आयुक्त के कार्यालय द्वारा यह जनगणना कराई जाएगी। इसके लिए विशेषज्ञों के दल बनाए जाएँगे जो जाति के आधार पर ब्यौरे उपलब्ध कराएँगे। आजादी के बाद देश में पहली बार जातिगत आधार पर जनगणना का निर्णय लिया गया है1 इससे पहले वर्ष 1931 में जाति आधारित जनगणना कराई गई थी।

इस बार संसद में विपक्षी दलों ने 2010 की जनगणना में जाति आधारित ब्यौरे भी एकत्र करने की माँग की थी जिस पर सरकार ने विचार करने के केंद्रीय वित्त मंत्री प्रणव मुखर्जी की अध्यक्षता में एक मंत्रिसमूह गठित किया था। इस समूह ने सभी दलों से अलग राय लेने के बाद जाति आधारित जनगणना कराने की सिफारिश की।

Cabinet clears caste census, to happen in 2011

The Union Cabinet has approved inclusion of caste in census. The exercise will be held independently from next year. This was decided by the Cabinet meeting chaired by PM Manmohan Singh today.
Government sources said the door-to-door census — where enumerators would only ask respondents their caste — would cost the exchequer about R2,000 crore. This will be in addition to the R2,200 crore to be spent on the decadal, and more comprehensive, headcount.
This would mean there could be two population figures. One would be thrown up by the decadal headcount and another generated when the caste count is held. "The first one will be treated as the base, credible population figure," a government official said.
While people would be free not to report their caste, fears that some communities would exaggerate their numbers — as happened in Nagaland in the 2001 census — has forced the government to conduct the headcount twice.

अब गिनती के बाद पूछी जाएगी जाति

जनगणना के साथ ही जाति पूछने के फैसले से केंद्र सरकार ने अब कदम वापस खींचने का फैसला किया है। जातीय जनगणना में व्यावहारिक दिक्कतों पर गृह मंत्रालय की आपत्तियों के मद्देनजर अब जनगणना के बाद जातीय गणना कराई जाएगी। गुरुवार को कैबिनेट में इस नए फैसले को मंजूरी के आसार हैं। अलग से जातीय जनगणना पर करीब 2,000 करोड़ रुपये खर्च होने का अनुमान है।
सरकार का एक वर्ग हालांकि, अलग से जातीय गणना में समय और धन की बर्बादी रोकने के लिए जनगणना के साथ ही इसे कराने का पक्षधर था। इस वर्ग को यह भी आशंका है कि अलग से जातीय गणना के फैसले से इसमें अनावश्यक देर होगी। इसके बावजूद, गृह मंत्रालय जनगणना के साथ जातीय गणना कराने पर तैयार नहीं है। उसने इस प्रक्रिया को लेकर हाथ खड़े कर दिए हैं। गृह मंत्रालय का साफ कहना था कि एक साथ ये दोनों काम नहीं हो सकते, इससे जनगणना का काम काफी पीछे चला जाएगा। इसके बाद प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह को दखल देना पड़ा।
चूंकि, पिछड़ा वर्ग लॉबी और भाजपा समेत ज्यादातर राजनीतिक दल अब जातीय जनगणना के पक्ष में मत दे चुके थे, लिहाजा इससे पीछे हटने का सरकार के पास कोई रास्ता नहीं बचा था। लिहाजा, जनगणना में देरी न हो, इसके मद्देनजर अब सरकार ने तय किया है कि ये दोनों काम अलग-अलग हों। वर्ष 2011 से पहले जनगणना का काम पहले से नियत कार्यक्रम पर किया जाएगा। इसमें एक चरण का काम यानी घरों के सर्वेक्षण सरकार कर चुकी है। अब लोगों की शिक्षा और अन्य अहम जानकारियां ली जाएंगीं लेकिन, इसमें जो जाति का कॉलम जोड़ा जा रहा था, वह नहीं होगा। अब जनगणना का काम खत्म होने के बाद जातीय गणना के लिए अलग से अभियान चलाया जाएगा। ऐसे में, जातीय आंकड़े 2013 से पहले आने की उम्मीद कम ही है।

Urban slum population to be 93.06 million by next year

There has been a growth of 17.8 million in urban slum population of the country in the last decade, according to a government committee formed to create a "reliable statistical model" of enumerating people living in such areas.

The Committee headed by Pranob Sen, Principal Advisor to the Planning Commission, states that the projected slum population in the country for the year 2011 would be 93.06 million from the 75.26 million estimated in 2001.

However, Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja said such a trend was expected due to increase in urbanisation but assured that the percentage of slums will come down due to government programmes for slum-development.

The Committee's report, submitted on August 30 to her Ministry, also gave a broader definition of slums to replace the existing one used by Census of India and the states. "The Committee suggested to adopt a normative definition based on appropriate indicators and checklists for the purpose of identification of slum areas and enumeration of population of area with 20-25 households having slum-like characteristics in an enumeration block in census 2011," Selja said. All clusters of 20-25 or more households having no roofs or non-concrete roofs, and not having any facility of drinking water, toilets or drainage would be considered as slums. Earlier, the cluster size for identification of slums was 60 households.

The minister said there was "paucity of correct data earlier" as small towns were left out. The new definition would serve as a guideline for Slum Census 2011 and also help in better implementation and wider coverage under the Rajiv Awas Yojana for slum-dwellers.

Selja said the Committee has recommended that for policy formulation purposes- for Slum Census 2011- it is absolutely essential to "count the slum population even in cities having less than 20,000 population". The Sen Committee applied its statistical model in all 5,161 urban areas of the country, including 3,799 statutory towns, Selja said.

The Committee has recommended that the Registrar General of India should share with HUPA the layout maps when they are released, for use in planning purposes and as an aid to slum surveys. "The Ministry would work closely with the RGI to carry out the ground verification of slum clusters within the identified enumeration blocks to finalise the Master Frame of slums in the country," Selja said.

Caste census to be held independently as a seperate exercise

India will go for a stand-alone caste census, likely to be held in mid-2011.
The home ministry has sought cabinet approval for an independent caste count to be conducted around June 2011, four months after the decadal headcount is completed through February.
The proposal is grounded in the recommendations of the Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee that was tasked to take a call on the modalities of counting castes. Mukherjee told Lok Sabha this week that the GoM had decided to go for “house enumeration” and the government had more or less decided on the modalities.
The Union Cabinet is expected to seal the plan at its next meeting. The data collection and colla-tion exercise is expected to be completed in three to four months.
Government sources said the door-to-door census — where enumerators would only ask respondents their caste — would cost the exchequer about R2,000 crore. This will be in addition to the R2,200 crore to be spent on the decadal, and more comprehensive, headcount.
This would mean there could be two population figures. One would be thrown up by the decadal headcount and another generated when the caste count is held. "The first one will be treated as the base, credible population figure," a government official said.
While people would be free not to report their caste, fears that some communities would exaggerate their numbers — as happened in Nagaland in the 2001 census — has forced the government to conduct the headcount twice.