Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to take quick steps for the early reconstitution of the State Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC).
In a letter to the CM, Dharmendra said the tenure of the commission ended on January 3, 2024, and no new chairperson or members have been appointed so far, rendering the statutory body defunct. He said the delay was affecting social justice delivery and the legitimate aspirations of backward-class communities in the state.
He said 216 communities in the state belonging to socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC) face challenges in accessing education, employment, and welfare schemes without a functioning Commission.
“As you are aware, Odisha is home to 216 Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) communities, that constitute a substantial segment of state po
pulation. These communities continue to face challenges in accessing equitable opportunities in education, employment, and welfare schemes. In the absence of a functioning Commission, these communities are deprived of a statutory representation to voice their concerns and seek redressal of their legitimate concern”, the Union Minister said in his letter.
Having a functioning OSCBC is crucial for ensuring fairness and addressing the needs of the state’s backward classes, he said.
” In view of the above, I request your personal intervention for the early reconstitution of the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes, which will uphold the spirit of social justice besides fulfilling the aspirations of State’s backward communities”, Dharmendra said in his letter.
The Union Minister also pointed out that the commission serves as a constitutional forum for grievance redressal, inclusion of new communities in the SEBC list, and policy advice to the government on backward class welfare. Its non-functioning has deprived affected communities of an institutional mechanism to raise their concerns.
Noting that the commission is mandated to conduct surveys on the social and educational status of backward classes, he said this exercise cannot be fulfilled without its reconstitution.