Lucknow, Jun 27: The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Wednesday announced to go for a rapid economic and caste survey. Though the UP government said the census would help it to provide welfare schemes to more people , the move is being seen in context of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

“We have given a stipulated time frame of three months for the census so that the people can benefit from the welfare schemes run by the government by the end of this year," spokesperson and Health Minister of UP Government, Sidharth Nath Singh reportedly said after the state cabinet gave its nod for a new rapid economic and caste survey.

The Social Economic Caste Census conducted a survey during the general census in 2011. The opposition has questioned the intent of UP government's decision to for a rapid caste and economic census. Samajwadi Party spokesperson, Sunil Singh Sajan asked how the welfare scheme was being implemented till now.

“First of all the government should clarify their intentions behind this rapid caste census. Why it is needed now only? How were the welfare schemes being implemented for past four years? They should get the census done and on the basis of figures should also announce reservation for the OBCs and Dalits," Sajjan told a news channel.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 27, 2018 05:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).