Panchayat Elections: Revanth Reddy Orders To Increase BC Quota (image:x.com/revanth_anumula)

The Telangana government is planning to increase Backward Class (BC) quota in local bodies. While holding a review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy directed officials concerned and the state BC panel to prepare an action plan and submit proposals in this regard. The Congress had promised to increase the BC reservations up to 42% in local bodies from the present 23%.

The details should include implementation of reservation in the panchayat elections and also the plans to increase the quota in the upcoming elections. Chief Minister also ordered the officials to conduct the polls at the earliest to avoid delay in the release of central funds to the local bodies, as he discussed the issue of increasing reservation in detail in the meeting.

Also Read | Doda Encounter: Four Army Personnel Including Army Officer Killed In Action

The officials reviewed the Chief Minister about the procedure followed in the previous panchayat elections and the preparations being made for the upcoming panchayat elections. Revanth Reddy also enquired about the time required for the conduct of BC caste census and the conduct of local body elections on the basis of the outcome of the caste census.

The caste census was already conducted in Karnataka in 2015 and in Bihar in 2023.

The officials explained Chief Minister that the caste enumeration format adopted by the Central government in 2011 has 53 columns and it will take at least five and half months to complete the caste census by adding three more columns.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Rural Development Minister Sitakka, Forest Minister Konda Surekha, Health and Family Welfare Minister Damodara Rajanarasimha, Chief Minister’s Advisor Vem Narender Reddy and others attended the meeting. Besides, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, CMO Secretary V. Seshadri, Chief Minister’s Secretary Dr G. Chandrasekhar Reddy, BC Welfare Department Secretary Burra Venkatesham, Panchayat Raj Department Secretary D.S. Lokesh Kumar, Law Department Secretary Rendla Tirupati and others were also participated.

Also Read | Passenger Sues JetBlue For $1.5 Million Claiming Hot Water Burned Her During Turbulence

Revanth Reddy has also instructed officials and BC commission to finish their study on the implementation of reservations in the local body elections in other states soon and added that he would call another meeting before the commencement of the Budget session of the Assembly and take a final decision on increasing quota based on the report prepared by the officials.