Madiga Community

Madiga Community

News: Recently, PM Modi has initiated the formation of a committee to address the long-standing demand for subcategorization of the Madiga community within the Scheduled Castes.

Need:
• The Madiga community constitutes at least 50% of the total Scheduled Castes in Telangana. For years, the Madiga community has said that the benefits of reservation under the SC category have been cornered by the Mala community, with the Madigas being left out.

About Madiga community:
• The Madiga community is a Telugu caste from southern India, primarily residing in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, with a small minority in Tamil Nadu. Historically, they were associated with tannery, leatherwork, and small handicrafts. Today, most are agricultural laborers.
• The community is categorized as a Scheduled Caste by the Government of India.

What is the sub-categorization of SC groups?
• Sub-categorization involves classifying existing SC caste groups into further categories based on their historical dominance in availing government benefits meant for SCs.
• It aims to ensure a more equitable distribution of benefits among SC communities by giving higher shares to historically marginalized groups and lesser shares to those that have traditionally dominated such benefits.