Caste Census: A high-level ‘super cabinet’ meeting was held on Wednesday under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which several top Union ministers participated.
Several major decisions were taken during the meeting, including the decision to conduct a caste-based census along with the National Population Census.
After the meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told during the press conference that the upcoming census will also include counting of castes.
Attacking the Congress party, Vaishnaw said that Congress governments have opposed caste census. He said, “There has been no caste census since 1947. Instead of census, Congress opted for caste survey. During the UPA rule, many states conducted caste surveys for political reasons.”
Govt to Include Caste Census in National Survey
Addressing the media, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has decided to include caste-based data collection in the upcoming national census. This is being seen as a historic move, as caste enumeration has never been a part of the main national census before.
He said, “Some states have conducted caste surveys at their own level, but a comprehensive approach is needed to understand the social structure. The CCPA has decided that caste data will now be collected as part of the next census and not through a separate survey.”
A Big Gift for Farmers
In addition to caste-based census, significant decisions were also made regarding farmers. The Modi government has announced a big relief to sugarcane farmers. The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane has been increased.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “The FRP of sugarcane has been fixed at Rs 355 per quintal for the sugar season 2025-26. This is the benchmark price, sugarcane cannot be purchased for less than this.”
Approval for Shillong-Silchar Corridor
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also announced that the Shillong to Silchar corridor has been approved. The government has approved a new highway connecting Meghalaya to Assam, which will be a 166.8 km long 4-lane highway.
Minister Vaishnaw said, “The Cabinet under the leadership of PM Modi has taken many important decisions. The Shillong-Silchar high-speed corridor connecting Meghalaya and Assam has been approved. The estimated cost of this project is Rs 22,864 crore.”
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