Odisha Assembly Passes State Commission for Backward Classes (Amendment) Bill; Paves Way for Survey of Social and Educational Conditions of Backward Classes

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to further accelerate the inclusive growth in the State, the Odisha Government will conduct a survey of Social and Educational Conditions of the people belonging to the Backward Classes as the State Assembly on Monday passed the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (amendment) Bill.

The Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes Act 1993 will be amended to enable the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes to make survey of the social and educational conditions of the people belonging to the backward classes, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told the Assembly.

”I am thankful to each and every Member of this August House who has been part of this very significant moment which will have a transformative impact on the Backward Classes of our State”, Naveen said.

“We are commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. His idea of India had the empowerment of the vulnerable as the core objective of the State. As a fitting tribute to Mahatma and his ideals, it is important that the State takes up the survey of the Backward Classes”.

“In this backdrop I propose this historic resolution to this August House that the “State will do a survey of Social and Educational Conditions of the People belonging to the Backward Classes” , the CM said.

“In a historic move today, this August House has resolved to amend the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes Act 1993, to enable the Commission to make survey of the social and educational conditions of the people belonging to the backward classes”, he expressed.

“In pre independence India the emergence of Odisha as the first modern State on linguistic basis was the result of continuous and prolonged demand, articulated by the Odia speaking people, living in various provinces of British India. Formation of Odisha on a linguistic identity served as a model for the states of post independent India. Since then our State has navigated its path of growth, keeping inclusiveness as it’s guiding principle”.

“To further accelerate this inclusive growth it is important to have reliable data about the Backward Classes of the State. Unfortunately, we do not have access to any recent data on this. The last census was done in 1931 which is now almost 90-year old. With Century old data in hand, we cannot make an accurate and focused planning to reach out to the Backward Classes of the society”, Naveen explained.

“Government of India realizing this need conducted a Socio-Economic and Caste Census in 2011. In 2017, Government of India released only a part of this data, which is being used as a basis for identification of beneficiaries for few Government schemes. However, the survey data relating to the Backward Classes was not released. This has put a serious handicap for giving focused attention towards welfare and empowerment of the backward classes. There were media reports about the then Home Minister Sri Rajnath Singh mentioning about the backward classes survey being included in the Census 2021”.

“However, this has not been done in the latest census format which has been circulated. It is in this backdrop the State Cabinet resolved on 11th January, 2020 to move the Central Government to include backward class survey as part of the Census 2021. This has been formally moved by the State Government to Central Government. Further this issue has been raised both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha by our Members of Parliament. However, there has been no response”, the CM stated.
“On 12th February, 2020 the State Government has constituted the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes with Retired Justice Raghunath Biswal as its Chairperson”, the Odisha CM added.