BHUBANESWAR: In a significant push towards social justice, the Odisha Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday approved 11.25 per cent reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) in admissions to medical, engineering and other higher educational institutions across the state.
The revised policy also enhanced the reservation for Scheduled Tribes (ST) to 22.50 pc and Scheduled Castes (SC) to 16.25 pc, bringing the total reservation framework closer to population proportions.
The new provisions will apply to universities, affiliated colleges and a wide range of professional courses including medicine, engineering, management, pharmacy and allied sciences.
Highlighting the reform, the chief minister said the move corrects long-standing disparities, noting that STs and SCs had historically received lower quotas despite their higher population share, while SEBC students had no reservation in technical and professional courses.
With the new policy, ST medical seats will increase from 290 to 545, SC seats from 193 to 393, and 272 seats will now be earmarked for SEBC students. Similar increases have been approved for engineering courses, significantly expanding access for disadvantaged communities.
The cabinet approved distribution of additional fortified rice to beneficiaries covered under the NFSA and SFSS. The initiative ensures an extra five kg of rice per family per month, free of cost, during festive and lean seasons.
The government has implemented the programme in phases, covering all districts and prioritising vulnerable regions, including tribal sub-plan areas. In total, lakhs of families across Odisha have benefitted, with the state bearing the entire financial burden from its own budget. Officials said the move is aimed at strengthening food security and reducing distress among economically-weaker sections.
The cabinet also cleared a “Comprehensive Flood Management Scheme” with an outlay of Rs 2,781 crore to be implemented over five years from 2025-26 to 2029-30. Given Odisha’s vulnerability to floods, cyclones and storm surges, the scheme proposes a mix of structural and non-structural interventions.These include strengthening embankments, restoring drainage systems, coastal protection works, improved flood forecasting and community preparedness measures.