The Maharashtra government has launched a new survey app, MSBCC APK, to collect socioeconomic data from the Maratha community and other open category groups. The survey will be conducted throughout the state between January 23rd and January 31st, 2023. It intends to survey approximately 2.5 crore households to determine the levels of backwardness among Maratha and non-Maratha open categories.
What is MSBCC Survey APK?
The State Backward Classes Commission is conducting the survey under the direction of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. It will collect detailed information about the social, economic, and educational status of the Maratha community, as well as other open categories. The survey results will help the state government provide reservations and benefits to the Maratha community in accordance with legal frameworks.
More than 50,000 enumerators will conduct the survey, including teachers, gramme sevaks, Anganwadi workers, and talathis. They will be paid an honorarium of Rs 10,000 for surveying 100 Maratha/open category families, with lower rates for backward category surveys. Surveyors are undergoing training programmes in all districts from specialised institutes such as the Gokhale Institute and IIPS.
Preparation and Awareness:
The Chief Minister has directed officials at all levels, from villages to districts, to prepare on a war footing. Instructions include posting notices in all villages, disseminating information via all media, tracking daily progress, and providing round-the-clock call centre support. The training programmes aim to eliminate errors from previous surveys conducted in 2008 and ensure extensive, accurate data collection.
Since October 2022, the retired Justice Sandeep Shinde committee's verification work has resulted in the distribution of over 1.47 lakh Kunbi caste certificates. 32,000 Kunbi records have been discovered in the Marathwada region alone, allowing for the issuance of 18,600 certificates. The second round of the verification drive has recently concluded in the Latur district.
The state government will also launch a special effort to retrieve old documents and records pertaining to Kunbi and other castes to aid in the verification of lineage records. Committees have been formed under the district Tehsildars in Maharashtra. They are tasked with quickly resolving and matching genealogy records by enlisting language experts. The campaign encourages all stakeholders, from police officers to private citizens, to share any relevant caste documents they possess.
Key Features of the MSBCC Survey APK:
Some important aspects of the MSBCC APK survey process include:
- Attractive incentives for surveyors
- Coverage of 2.5 crore households in rural and urban Maharashtra.
- Retrieval drives for older genealogy records
- Socioeconomic Profiles of Marathas and Open Category Groups
- Fast-track committees for verifying caste records
- Leveraging technology for faster analysis
- Intensive training to eliminate previous survey errors.
- Awareness campaigns involving all villages and media channels.
How to Use the MSBCC APK Latest Version?
To participate in the survey, households must take the following steps:
- Provide documentary evidence as needed by the surveyor.
- Check the government notices in your Gramme Panchayat for the enumeration schedule.
- Inform authorities of any grievances encountered during the survey.
- Provide accurate information requested in the survey questionnaire.
- Ensure that all family members are present for the survey visit.
Conclusion:
This intensive data-gathering drive provides an opportunity for the Maratha and other communities to obtain current, quantifiable data about their situation. The aggregated statistics will allow the state government to implement data-driven policies and legally valid reservations. The survey's success depends on the cooperation of all households and the transparency with which they provide information. Authorities have also promised mechanisms for resolving grievances during the survey process via call centers. Finally, the data will be used to develop long-term welfare schemes for the target groups.
