The 7th Economic Census’ Survey – being taken up shortly before the outbreak of coronavirus in the state, is still in the doldrums as teams sent to accumulate data through door to door campaign are largely focusing on non-Muslim areas as officials are arguing that the threat of vehement backlash in Muslim majority areas is still persisting.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, New Delhi launched the survey in Telangana earlier this year in the month of March with teams from Common Service Centers (CSCs) under Digital India Department sent to collect the data of households in rural as well as urban areas of the city.
Dividing the rural and urban areas into ‘villages’ and ‘units’ respectively, the survey kicks start on the 5th of March and was proposed to be completed within three months i.e. by the 5th of June this year. However, the out-of-the-blue imposition of lockdown due to the outbreak of the coronavirus prompted the CSC teams to pack their bags for an indefinite period until further instructions was issued.
Earlier, shortly after the CSC teams entered into some areas in Rangareddy district the outrage begins as people – out of the suspicion that grows due to widespread protest against the laws like CAA, NRC, and NPR started questing them and evaded from providing any information to team members.
Sensing the threat, CSC team members tried to keep themselves away from troublesome areas and largely focus on non-Muslim habitations. However, only a few days later the coronavirus break-out all over the world following which the survey teams sweeps under the carpet until further communication from the higher-ups.
Since then the situation remains same even after eight months have passed that also include two months-long curfew and subsequent restrictions in the state. Though the survey teams began its campaign recently in some of the areas in Rangareddy Districts, they are still differing from entering Muslim majority areas fearing outrage from the people.
“CSC teams began a door-to-door campaign in the several districts of the state but are largely avoiding to step-in Muslim majority areas as the local people not at all allowing them to collect the data. Some local leaders too warned them against venturing into such troublesome areas saying it could attract the wrath of people who are remain offended to controversial laws like CAA, NRC, and NPR laws,” informed an official on the request of anonymity.
“Though the program is designed to collect the data of households as well as commercial establishments in 615-gram panchayats in Rangareddy District, the CSC teams so far have been able to cover only 56 GPs of 11 mandal. The 11 mandals that were covered in Rangareddy District so far includes Farooqnagar, Gandipet, Kadthal, Kondukur, Keshampet, Kothur, Maheshwaram, Moinabad, Shamshabad, Talakondlapally, and part of Rajendranagar.
