Telangana Caste and Socio-Economic Survey Reveals Major Disparities

A major revelation has emerged from Telangana’s caste and socio-economic survey, showing that Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities are nearly three times more backward compared to the general category population.

Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar stated that this finding is based on the “Comprehensive Backwardness Index,” which measures the level of social and economic deprivation.

Key Findings of the Survey

• The overall state “Comprehensive Backwardness Index” is 81, where a higher score indicates greater backwardness.
• Around 135 castes were identified as more backward than previously assumed, covering nearly 67% of the population.
• SC group “Dakkal” recorded the highest backwardness score of 116, while the Kapu community had the lowest score of 12.
• Over 78% of socially and economically backward households earn around ₹1 lakh annually.
• More than 13% of non-backward households earn between ₹5 lakh and ₹50 lakh annually.
• Only 2.1% of SC and ST populations earn more than ₹5 lakh annually.
• 21.2% of households lack access to piped drinking water.
• 13.3% of families do not have proper toilets.
• 5.8% lack proper electricity connections.

Minister Ponnam Prabhakar highlighted that these social and economic inequalities are a matter of serious concern.

Survey Coverage and Methodology

The report is based on the Telangana Social, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) survey conducted by an independent expert working group.

The survey covered more than 3.5 crore families (around 97% of households) across the state and analyzed 242 caste groups using 42 indicators, including income, education, occupation, land ownership, property, healthcare access, and civic facilities.

Challenges Faced by Backward Communities

• Lack of access to education and employment opportunities
• Poor access to healthcare and basic civic amenities
• Living in small and overcrowded houses
• Limited land ownership
• Inadequate access to clean drinking water
• Non-functional or unavailable sanitation facilities
• Financial instability

The report also highlights that many families still depend on high-interest loans from moneylenders, falling into debt traps and even borrowing money for medical emergencies.