Bihar Government Releases Landmark Caste-Based Census Report
Patna, 2nd October 2023: The Bihar Government today released its caste-based census report today, shedding light on the state’s diverse demographic landscape. The report was unveiled by Additional Chief Secretary Vivek Kumar Singh, who stated that the total population of Bihar is more than 13 crores.
Detailed Findings
The census report categorizes the population into various social groups:
Backward Class: 27.12%
Extremely Backward Class: 36.01%
Scheduled Caste: 19.65%
Scheduled Tribe: 1.68%
General Category: 15.52%
Religious Demographics
The report also provides a breakdown of the population by religion:
Hindu: 81.99%
Muslim: 17.70%
Christian: 0.05%
Sikh: 0.01%
Buddhist: 0.08%
Caste Demographics
The census further delves into the population of specific castes:
Brahmin: 3.67%
Rajput: 3.45%
Bhumihar: 2.89%
Kayastha: 0.60%
Yadav: 14.26%
Kushwaha: 4.27%
Kurmi: 2.87%
Teli: 2.81%
Musahar: 3.08%
Sonar: 0.68%
Mallah: 2.60%
Badhai: 1.4%
Kumhar: 1.4%
Pasi: 0.9%
Dhobi: 0.8%
Chamar, Ravidas: 5.2%
Government Response
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar congratulated the team responsible for the caste-based census report. In a tweet, he said, “Today on the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the data of caste-based census conducted in Bihar has been published. Many congratulations to the entire team engaged in the work of caste-based enumeration!”
Legislative Backing
The proposal for the caste-based census was unanimously passed in the Legislature. It was decided with the consent of all nine parties in the Bihar Assembly that the state government would conduct the census using its own resources. The Council of Ministers approved this on June 2, 2022.
Future Plans
The report also revealed information about the economic conditions of various castes. Based on this data, further action will be taken for the development and upliftment of all sections. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that an all-party meeting would be called soon to discuss the findings.
Conclusion
The release of the Bihar caste-based census report marks a significant step in understanding the state’s demographic makeup, which will be instrumental in shaping future policies for the development and upliftment of all communities.
