BHUBANESWAR: The state cabinet on Saturday approved the proposal of the scheduled tribes and scheduled castes development, minorities and backward classes welfare department for inclusion of 22 communities in the list of other backward classes.
Briefing mediapersons of the cabinet decision, development commissioner Pradeep Jena said the Centre has already notified 22 castes along with their synonyms as OBCs for Odisha. However, they have not been included in the list of the socially and economically backward classes (SEBCs) of the state.
“The cabinet has approved the proposed amendment of the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC) Act, 1993 by inserting sub-section 3 under section-9, enabling the state government to include such backward classes in the state list of SEBCs, if the said backward classes have been specified in the Central list of OBCs for the state of Odisha,” he said.
He said that Article 15(4) of the Constitution enables the state to make any special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens. Further, Article 46 provides that, the state will promote, with special care, the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
In view of the social and educational backwardness of these 22 castes/communities along with their synonyms, they are required to be included in the list of SEBCs for extending all social welfare measures and benefits, thereby bringing them to the mainstream of development, he added.