Caste census workers of Karnataka earned this much by going door to door. india news

The long-delayed Karnataka caste census, despite years of controversies, political wrangling and public skepticism, has reached its final stages. After months of fieldwork and verification, the state government has sanctioned a massive amount of Rs. Thousands of enumerators and supervisors collecting household data across the state will be given an honorarium of Rs 1,27,73,45,200.

This decision is an important step towards completing one of the most ambitious and politically sensitive surveys of Karnataka.

Payment to field staff started

The funds have been released under the supervision of Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission and transferred to the bank accounts of Deputy Commissioners in all the districts.

Every Deputy Commissioner office has now been directed to ensure timely distribution of honorarium to the ground level staff conducting surveys.

As per government orders, enumerators are entitled to Rs. Rs 50 per family of one or two members. Rs 100 per family with three or more members. Payment amounts vary depending on the number of households surveyed in each jurisdiction.

The caste census covered an astonishing 1.46 crore households across Karnataka, making it the largest exercise of its kind in India.

For observers who oversee and verify data collection, the government has also approved an additional Rs. An incentive of Rs 10,000 each will be given in recognition of their role in ensuring the accuracy of the survey process.

First installment of Rs. 60 crores released

The Commission Chairman informed that a total of Rs. Rs 60.30 crore has been released to the districts as first installment. The remaining amount will be disbursed in the next phase after completion of necessary approvals.

Officials said the initial release of funds was intended to immediately support staff and compensate them for their fieldwork, which lasted months and required dealing with difficult logistical conditions.

Recognition for grassroots efforts

Backward Classes Commission officials described the payment as a gesture of respect and recognition for the thousands of staff members who worked in tough environments to complete the census.

Many field staff reportedly faced difficulties such as poor connectivity, time pressure and resistance from families reluctant to share information. The release of the honorarium shows that the state government essentially acknowledges the magnitude of their contribution to the backbone of the state’s social data, he said.

Caste census is about to be completed

The survey has now reached the final stage of verification and digital confirmation. The data collected from across the state is being cleaned, coded and integrated into a centralized system.

Once validated, the commission is expected to submit its final report to the government soon. Commission sources indicated that the digital data verification process is in its final stages and only a few technical checks remain.

Now, while the final report is being prepared, the government’s decision to release the Samman Nidhi has been interpreted as a confidence-building step – a message that the caste census will not be left midway, as had happened earlier.

lessons from the past

This is not Karnataka’s first attempt at a caste census. The previous exercise, conducted almost a decade ago under the leadership of Jayaprakash Hegde, had ended in controversy.

That report was ultimately dismissed as unscientific, resulting in a financial loss of hundreds of crores of rupees. Many critics feared that the current survey might meet the same fate.

However, officials insist that this round has been conducted with greater technical rigor and administrative coordination. Data collection has been largely digitalised, verification processes are stringent, and the state government appears intent on getting it done.

big question

Doubts remain even as the final report is nearing submission. Citizens and political observers alike are questioning whether the huge expenditure of several hundred crores of rupees will translate into meaningful policy change.

The caste census is expected to influence reservation structures and welfare allocation, but it also risks becoming another politically charged document if it is not handled transparently.

For now, with payments rolling out and verification underway, Karnataka’s caste census seems to be moving towards the finish line, carrying the weight of expectations, past failures and the hope that the efforts and money will not go in vain this time.