Rajasthan to hold caste survey like Bihar: CM Ashok Gehlot

After Bihar, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot late on Friday announced that the state would conduct a caste survey.The issue was discussed at a core committee meeting of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) held at the party's war room in Jaipur.The meeting in Jaipur was attended by Congress in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Randhawa, CM Gehlot, RPCC president Govind Singh Dotasra among other leaders.Following the meeting, Gehlot said, "The Rajasthan government will also conduct a caste survey like the one held in Bihar."He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's concept of caste survey and participation in proportion to the population would be furthered in the state."Therefore, we have decided that keeping in mind the mandate of the party, the Rajasthan government should declare this campaign," he said.He added, "There are various castes within the country.. People of various religions live here. The castes do different jobs. If we know how much population of which caste is there, we can know what plans we have to make for them. It will be easier for us to prepare schemes caste-wise."Meanwhile, Rajasthan Congress in-charge Randhawa said that discussions on a yatra over the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) issue were also held in the meeting, apart from the caste-based survey.Earlier, the Congress had planned to take out a five-day yatra in eastern Rajasthan to demand national project status for the ERCP that would address the irrigation and drinking water needs of 13 districts.The western state of Rajasthan is all set to go for polls in December this year. The slogan of the Congress' election campaign will be - 'Kaam Kiya Dil Se, Congress Fir Se'.With inputs from PTI