This topic is about the caste based enumeration which is planned by the government to commence shortly.The general survey of the household is completed and in the second phase it is said that it would be biometric survey where the finger prints,photographs and iris scans are collected which will be used by the government to issue unique identity cards for each individual.In this survey it is planning to collect the caste of the individual so the it have proper count of the people based on the social background.
I will divide the discussion into two parts.
1) Is the Caste based enumeration required.If required why is it required?
2) If it is required what are the advantages and disadvantages.If not required,will there be any problems in future.
My opinion is that such a caste based enumeration is not necessary.The reason the govt is showing for the requirement of caste enumeration is that the government can appropriately plan the special schemes and subsidies for backward classes based on the numbers it collected.But my argument is that primary premise -giving subsidies based on the caste is not correct.The subsidies and policies should be based on the economic standards of the people and not based on the caste.
Considering the present situation in the country,there are backward caste people who are millionaires and who are in the position of IAS/IPS,who are ministers of state/Center,who work as software engineers in MNC companies.Do they or their children require the helping hand from the government?Does these people require subsides on rice,kirosine or do they require reservation in educational system or do they require reservation in Jobs?I do agree that most of the backward class people are below poverty line.Its most of the people but not all.There are also few people who doesn't belong to backward cast but still they are economically backward.Its all those economically backward people who needs a helping hand.I know I am divulging a bit from the topic but is absolutely important because its on this premise that the need for the caste enumeration has raised.When the premise itself is wrong the necessity for such a caste based census is not needed.
there can be further complications like a caste which is backward in some region may not be considered backward caste in some other region.In such cases providing benefits based on caste is not apt.
Advantages/Disadvantages:
I don't see any problem if the collection of caste information is just to have numerical data on the social backgrounds of the people.But the fact is that it is not going to stop at that point.If a particular region has 80% of the population of some caste then there arises a need to elect the leaders from the same caste to address their problems.Our economy has enough divisions based on the religion.We are witnessing many Hindu Muslim riots which are going out of control.Doesn't this further bifurcation of caste spring up new caste sanghas and result in more riots?
It has taken ages to neutralize the caste system in the country.The sentiment has weekend but not completely wiped off.What is the need for the government to again split the society based on caste. May be govt talked just about the census(statistical data) but it clearly gives scope for many other conflicts discussed above.
In my opinion the disadvantages of having this system outnumber the advantages.For this reason I don't like this decision of the government.
