The geo-tagging process linked to household electricity meters is progressing swiftly in Belagavi district as part of the social and educational survey initiated by the State Backward Classes Commission. The aim is to cover all 10.4 lakh houses in the district to ensure no family is excluded. According to Hescom officials, the exercise is likely to be completed within the next four days.
The commission has scheduled the survey between September 22 and October 7. In the initial phase, electricity meter readers are collecting household details based on RR numbers. To avoid any gaps, stickers with unique identification numbers, left blank for survey IDs to be filled in by census staff, are being affixed to homes. So far, around 9 lakh houses have been tagged, with completion expected by the second week of September.
This method allows meter readers to link the household’s location with its electricity billing details. The unique ID helps surveyors easily trace and verify each house during the survey.
Praveenkumar Chikkade, Superintendent Engineer of Hescom, stated that geo-tagging is already 90% complete in the district. While progress in Khanapur taluk is between 70% and 80%, other taluks have achieved 80% to 90%. The remaining work is expected to finish within three to four days. Once Hescom completes its task, the social welfare and backward classes department will take over the next phase.
Survey preparations
Officials from the social welfare department said that after geo-tagging, the education and social welfare departments will handle the remaining part of the survey. One teacher will be appointed for every 150 families, and training has been arranged as the app-based questionnaire requires responses to about 65 queries.
