Massive household survey in Telangana on Aug 19

Telangana is expected to come to a standstill on August 19 as 'an intensive household survey' would be conducted across the state with the aim of collecting data for better planning of welfare programmes.

The survey is being compared to the general elections in its scale, as it would cover about 84 lakh families.

August 19 has been declared as a holiday.

About 4 lakh employees including policemen and teachers would take part in the one-day exercise.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who assumed office on June 2, has expressed hope that the outcome of the survey would help the government plan better for welfare.

But it has also led to allegations that its hidden agenda is to target natives of Seemandhra. Some media reports suggested that failure to participate would make people ineligible for government schemes in future.

But Hyderabad Municipal Commissioner Somesh Kumar allayed fears saying the questionnaire would not touch on the issue of origins.

According to the survey form uploaded on government website, information such as names of family members, educational qualifications, health, disability, LPG connection, land holding, bank and Aadhar card details, etc would be collected.

The opposition has said that the exercise would not be completed in a single day. It could have been spread over a couple of days to ensure thoroughness, Telangana Congress spokesperson Addanki Dayakar said.

The exercise has triggered a heavy rush of people working elsewhere to return to their native places.