Hyderabad: With the release of the SEEEPC survey, the state govt now faces a far more complex task than conducting the exercise itself — translating hard data into equitable policy and political action. The findings are expected to reshape both governance and electoral dynamics in the coming years.The survey points to disparities across castes, clearly identifying who benefits from govt schemes and who remains excluded. One of the most striking findings is the concentration of land ownership — just seven castes control nearly 51% of the state’s land. At the same time, several communities continue to be left out of welfare benefits, raising the prospect of fresh demands for redistribution and representation. Analysts point out that nearly 135 most Backward Castes may now push for a greater share in both political representation and govt schemes. This pressure is already visible. BC organisations have been demanding 42% reservation in local bodies, education and employment. Though the Congress govt passed related bills last year, they are yet to be cleared. Politically, the party has begun responding to these shifts. It allocated nearly 50% of tickets to BCs in recent local body elections and accommodated demands from influential communities. Groups like the Mudiraj community, which had earlier sought greater representation, have already found a place in the cabinet. Political representation“Now the most backward in BCs, who have less representation or nil representation, may demand political representation and other issues. Those who are higher in numbers such as Yadavs may demand more seats in every election in the state,” a Congress leader admitted. The churn is not limited to BCs. Among Scheduled Castes, Malas and Madigas continue to compete for political space and cabinet berths. Within Scheduled Tribes, tensions persist between Lambadas and Adivasis over reservation benefits, with the survey noting that Lambadas hold relatively higher land assets. Political analyst K Nageshwar said the findings would significantly influence policy direction. “The govt cannot grope in the dark to make any policies and schemes. Now this report and analysis will help as the basis for policy-making,” he said, adding that schemes like Rythu Bharosa may need recalibration if benefits are disproportionately flowing to a few castes. Cautious approachBC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the govt would proceed cautiously. “The govt will take suggestions into consideration and debate in the assembly and implement them to benefit the castes. The govt will not take any decisions unilaterally,” he told TOI. Officials, however, acknowledge the scale of the challenge. The state govt spends nearly Rs 30,000 crore every year on schemes such as Rythu Bharosa and free electricity to farmers. “But 15% of these beneficiaries are people from the more prosperous OCs while only 12% are SCs even though they are far greater in number and thrice as backward as the OCs,” a senior official said, quoting the report.
