Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday justified the demand for conducting a caste-based census in the country and said it should not have been discontinued post-independence.
“The caste-based census was last conducted in the year 1931 and the practice should have continued in post-Independence period also but it did not happen. Now the UPA government has taken an initiative in this regard,” Mr. Mukherjee told reporters here.
Mr. Mukherjee arrived here along with Union Minister for Surface Transport Kamal Nath to take part in a loan mela organised in the latter’s constituency.
On the issue of the Women’s Reservation Bill, he said it will be discussed in the next session of Parliament.
He said the Centre has raised the limit of turnover tax from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 60 lakh.
“In the year 1984, I had raised the limit of turnover tax to Rs 40 lakh. After that, many Finance Ministers have come but nobody thought about it and now in the year 2009-10, we have raised its limit,” Mr. Mukherjee said.
