Bihar CM Nitin Kumar on Saturday said that the Centre told them that only they can conduct a census after the state government conducted a caste-based census.
Addressing a rally in Munger, Kumar said, "We went to the Central govt with a demand that there should be a caste-based census in the country but they did not listen to us. So, in Bihar, we went ahead and got it done with 9 other parties."
"We clarified that we have only done a survey. After the report was out, we said that we would record the economic condition of each and every family, whether it is the upper caste, backward class or extremely backward class, scheduled caste, tribe or any religion," he further said.
Earlier, the Bihar government had increased the reservation quota for deprived castes from 50% to 65% in state government jobs and educational institutions.
The development comes after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar granted his assent, paving the way for the implementation of the enhanced quota.
Governor Arlekar sent formal notifications for both bills—the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services Amendment Bill and the Bihar Reservation (Admission in Educational Institutions) Amendment Bill, 2023—to the state government, endorsing the proposed changes.
(With inputs from ANI)
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