The Tamil Nadu government on Monday issued orders constituting a Commission for the collection of quantifiable data on castes, communities and tribes of Tamil Nadu.
The Commission will collect details pertaining to various social, educational, economic and political parameters of the State’s population.
The government, as announced earlier, appointed retired Madras High Court judge A. Kulasekaran as Chairman of the Commission and issued a government order to this effect, while laying out the terms of reference of the Commission.
CM’s announcement
The government’s move comes against the backdrop of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announcing the collection of caste-wise data in the State to better administer and target various welfare schemes of the government.
Prescribing the terms, the G.O. said: “The Commission shall obtain such information as it may consider necessary or relevant for its purpose, in such form and manner as it may think appropriate, from relevant authorities, organisations or individuals, as may in the opinion of the Commission be necessary/or of assistance.”
The government also authorised the Commission to form sub-committees from among its members, and hold sittings, as determined by the Chairman.
A separate order regarding the appointment of other members of the panel will be issued separately, the government said.
The Commission has been given the mandate of submitting its report to the government in six months.
Improving rule
The data to be collated by the Commission will be helpful in administering and targetting various welfare schemes of the government better.
“This quantifiable data will also be necessary to support the policy of 69% reservation followed in the State,” the G.O. said.
