Lagatar24 Desk
Bhubaneswar, March 2: The state of Odisha has resolved to undertake a survey for their enumeration and finish the process by July 12 in response to claims that the government denies OBCs access to adequate services.
Following Bihar, Odisha will be the second state to gather information on the socioeconomic circumstances of members of lower social groups.
Opposition parties view the move ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections as a tactic by the governing BJD to win over voters from the underprivileged sections, who make up roughly 54% of the state’s population.
According to the state administration, the survey would aid in developing effective policies for underprivileged groups to safeguard their socioeconomic progress.
The survey had been scheduled to be conducted in May and June 2021 when the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC) was established, but it had to be delayed because of the second COVID-19 wave, according to officials.
209 groups in Odisha were classified as socially and educationally backward classes by OSCBC (SEBC). The state cabinet has approved adding 22 more castes to the state OBC list, bringing the total up to 231 today.
The Odisha Administrative Tribunal rejected the state government’s prior attempt to allocate a 27% quota for OBCs because it went above the Supreme Court-established cap of 50% for ST, SC, and SEBC reservations in public employment.
