Impact of Rahul Gandhi’s Demand! Modi Government to Include Caste Census in Upcoming Population Census

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been advocating for a nationwide caste census for a long time. It is believed that the pressure from this demand, coupled with the upcoming Bihar elections, prompted the Modi government to decide to incorporate a caste census in the next population census.

Announcing the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that while the census falls under the central government's jurisdiction, some states have conducted caste-based surveys.

Vaishnaw accused opposition-ruled states of conducting such surveys for political reasons. He emphasized that the Modi government is committed to including the caste census in the upcoming all-India census process in a transparent manner.

Earlier, a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was held in Delhi on Wednesday, where several key decisions were made. Briefing the media about the decisions, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the government has decided to conduct a caste census alongside the upcoming population census.

While some states carried out these surveys efficiently, others did so in a non-transparent and politically motivated manner. Vaishnaw stressed that to ensure the social fabric remains unaffected by political pressures, the caste census should be integrated into the main census process rather than conducted as a separate survey. This, he said, would strengthen society economically and socially while ensuring the country’s uninterrupted progress.

In addition, the Cabinet approved the construction of a new greenfield high-speed corridor from Mawlingkhung near Shillong in Meghalaya to Panchgram near Silchar in Assam under National Highway-6 (NH-6). The 166.80-km corridor will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode at an estimated cost of ?22,864 crore.

The Cabinet also made a decision regarding the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane. For the 2025-26 sugar season, the FRP for sugarcane has been set at ?355 per quintal, based on a basic recovery rate of 10.25%. Additionally, a premium of ?3.46 per quintal will be provided for every 0.1% increase in recovery rate, while an equivalent deduction will apply for every 0.1% decrease.