New Delhi:A Group of Ministers (GoM) formed to look into the possibilities of including caste in the ongoing census is holding a crucial meeting on Thursday.
The GoM headed by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to take
an expeditious decision as the second part of the census exercise is scheduled
to begin in September. Other members of the GoM are Union Law Minister M Veerappa
Moily, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, New and Renewable Energy
Minister Farooq Abdullah, Urban Housing Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy and
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. A section of political leaders from all parties
demanded that caste be included in the census. In May, the Union Cabinet formed
the GoM on the issue after consensus could not be reached. The issue had figured
prominently during the last Budget Session. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh,
had assured Parliament that his government would take the views expressed by the
House into account before deciding on the matter. Inclusion of caste in the census
was last done in the country in 1931.
