Karwar: The Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission will launch a comprehensive social and educational survey across the state from August 23, commission chairman Madhusudhan R. Naik announced on Thursday. The exercise will begin with house-listing and geo-tagging of every household, undertaken by electricity meter readers, to ensure no home is left out.
In a press statement, Naik explained that the survey is planned to be completed within 90 days. The first phase will cover preparatory tasks such as mapping and numbering of all households in the state. Since every residential unit is connected to electricity, officials will use RR (Revenue Register) meter numbers to identify houses, enabling systematic coverage. Meter readers, while carrying out their regular billing duties, will also geo-tag residences and upload data to the EDCS (Electronic Delivery of Citizen Services) servers through a specially developed mobile application. Each house, including apartments and residential clusters, will be assigned a unique identification number, with stickers affixed for easy recognition during the second stage.
The second phase of the survey is scheduled from September 22 to October 7, coinciding with the Dasara school holidays to facilitate smooth execution. During this stage, detailed socio-educational data of residents will be collected scientifically and systematically.
The commission stated that the survey is designed in collaboration with the energy department, EDCS, and other stakeholders, using an innovative and technology-driven model. Data collected is expected to benefit nearly seven crore people in Karnataka and will serve as a vital resource for planning and implementing welfare schemes for backward classes and other communities.
Naik acknowledged that the house-listing exercise is challenging but critical for ensuring accuracy. He appealed to the public, especially families residing in apartments and clustered housing, to extend full cooperation to the meter readers during their visits so that the survey can be completed smoothly and effectively.