I/IV. Census 2011 data released: 10 key highlights TNN | Jul 3, 2015, 01.33 PM IST
NEW DELHI: Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Friday released the socio-economic and caste census (SECC) 2011 and said that it would be an important input for policy makers. Here are some key points from the census report: 1. This is the first caste census done in Independent India. 2. The last caste census in India happened in 1932. 3. Just 4.6% of all rural households in the country pay income tax. 4. The total households in the country - rural plus urban - stand at 24.39 crore. 5. Public sector-employed households made up 1.11% of the total. 6. Over 11% rural households possessed refrigerators. 7. 20.69% rural households had either an automobile or a fishing boat. 8. 94% of the rural households owned a house with 54% cent having 1-2 room dwellings. 9. Of all the rural salaried households, 5% earned salaries from the government while those employed in the private sector constituted 3.57% of the total households. 10. Landless ownership was 56% of the total rural population, with 70% of SCs and 50% of STs being landless owners. READ ALSO: Assam records highest rise in Muslim population READ ALSO: Muslim population grows 24%, slower than previous decade (With inputs from agencies) II/IV. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/govt-releases-socio-economic-caste-census-for-better-policy-making/article1-1365434.aspx Govt releases socio-economic and caste census for better policy-making PTI, New Delhi| Updated: Jul 03, 2015 17:05 IST The socio-economic and caste census (SECC) 2011 on Friday painted a grim picture of rural India, indicating that one out of three families living in villages is landless and depends on manual labour for livelihood. The SECC 2011, also the first paperless census conducted on hand-held electronic devices by the government, said 23.52% rural families have no literate adult above 25 years, suggesting a poor state of education among rural masses. The census, carried out in 640 districts under the aegis of the rural development ministry, was released jointly by finance minister Arun Jaitley and rural development minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh. According to the census, there are a total number of 24.39 crore households in the country, of which 17.91 crore live in villages. Of these, 10.69 crore households are considered as deprived. The deprivation data reveal that 5.37 crore (29.97%) households in rural areas are "landless deriving a major part of their income from manual labour". As many as 2.37 crore (13.25%) families in villages live in houses of one room with 'kaccha' walls and roof. It further said 21.53%, or 3.86 crore, families living in villages belong to SC/ST categories. Releasing the census, Jaitley said, "It's after seven-eight decades that we have this document after 1932 of the caste census... It's going to be very important document for all policy makers both at central and state governments... this document will help us target groups for support in terms of policy planning." The data, Singh said, "addresses the multi-dimensionality of poverty and provides a unique opportunity for a convergent, evidence based planning with a Gram Panchayat as unit". Singh added a caveat, saying though the name of the census suggests caste, it does not include castes. "The name of the report indicates (caste), but caste is not reflected in our data ... still the name is socio-economic and caste census," he said. "We are now on the cusp of a huge development shift that will move the numbers of poverty to the names of the village that needs government intervention. The idea is to deal with all aspects of the family simultaneously," Singh said. The census further said just 4.6% of all rural households in the country pay income tax. As for sources of income, 9.16 crore households (51.14%) depend on manual casual labour followed by cultivation (30.10%). It further said 2.5 crore (14.01%) rural families are dependent on income from other sources which include government service, private sector and PSUs. Besides, 4.08 lakh households fall back on ragpicking while 6.68 lakh depend on begging and charity alms. "It's also a document which contains various details with regard to the specifics of regions, communities, caste groups, economic groups and give us an opportunity to measure the progress which households in India have made. "Who are the ones who have qualitatively moved up in terms of quality of life and who are the ones in terms of geographical regions, social groupings which in future planning need to be targeted," Jaitley said. "The data is an opportunity to make evidence-based selection, prioritisation and targeting of beneficiaries in different programmes," Singh added. The rural development ministry has taken a decision to use the SECC data in all its programmes. "SECC data would have meaningful use in housing for all, education and skills thrust, MGNREGA, the National Food Security Act, interventions for differently-abled, interventions for women-led households, and targeting of households/individual entitlements on evidence of deprivation, etc," he said. It paves the way for a Mission Antyodaya to work simultaneously in addressing the poverty of households through a Gram Panchayat Poverty Reduction Plan, he added. The basic idea, the minister said, is to implement a convergent, integrated poverty reduction plan, with Gram Panchayats and deprived households as a priority. [Box] http://www.hindustantimes.com/Images/popup/2015/7/gfx_census1.jpg III/IV. http://www.thehindu.com/data/socio-economic-and-caste-censuss-data-on-standard-of-living-of-rural-households/article7383259.ece IV. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Caste-data-held-back-due-to-social-upheaval-fears/articleshow/47931784.cms Caste data held back due to social upheaval fears? Bharti Jain,TNN | Jul 4, 2015, 12.50 AM IST NEW DELHI: While the findings on the numbers of each caste were intended to be an equally important feature of the socio economic and caste census, these have been withheld by the government for now. Few are, however, surprised as they realize that the precarious equilibrium of upheaval of backward castes would turn fragile once the caste figures come out. The last caste census was taken way back in 1932 and discontinued since. In the run up to Census 2011, political satraps espousing the cause of OBCs came forward to demand a return to caste census, arguing that discontinuing it was paradoxical, caste being a factor acknowledged in each and every sphere. However, even as the socio-economic and caste census results were released on Friday, the caste data was held back, possibly due to social and political factors. With the OBC group claiming that their actual numbers far exceed their share in the reservation pie, if the caste census results were to bear them out, it could be the first step towards a sustained assault on the Supreme Court-mandated reservation cap of under 50%. This would have worked against the sections already disadvantaged by the quota regime, leading to a spate of tensions and agitations. The caste findings, in case they do put the number of OBCs at much more than 50% of the population, would give a valid reason for OBCs to demand their due share in the social benefits. With Bihar elections due later this year, such an eventuality would be ill-advised. Incidentally, the government has also withheld the religious census data, though it is was reportedly ready in February-March last year. "The timing of its release is a political call," a senior home ministry official had told TOI a few days ago. According to experts, even though the caste census has been conducted and the voluminous data is in custody of the ministry of social welfare, the presence of large anomalies and inaccuracies in the data recorded in the enumerator's heet has made the data subject to verification. "Without verification, which promises to be an elaborate exercise that would need experts, the raw data may not be useful enough to form a basis for distribution of socio-economic benefits," said a statistical expert. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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