New Delhi (Kalinga Voice) : A Biju Janata Dal MP delegation from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha met Union Home Minister Shri. Amit Shah, at his Parliament Chamber this morning and submitted a memorandum for increasing the reservation beyond 50% ceiling by enacting a Central Legislation for the empowerment of States and Undertaking Caste-based Census for identifying and enumerating the SEBC/OBCs.
In the memorandum submitted by BJD delegation to the Union Home Minister Sri Shah, it is mentioned ” Due to non-availability of reliable and authentic data about the exact numbers of the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and Other Backward Classes/ Castes it has become an impediment for taking up focused planning for the welfare of these communities. For a Welfare Government, it is a Constitutional obligation and abiding commitment for inclusive growth of the weaker sections of the
society.
Since, Legislations of most of the States on Reservation policies for SEBC/ OBC had been struck down by the Hon’ble Supreme court and High Courts on the ground that, the policies on Reservation is made without any scientific database of the SEBC/ OBC population, it is imperative that detail enumeration of SEBC/OBC/other Caste/Class is to be made by the Government of India by inserting appropriate columns in the Census Format 2021 for identification of Socio-Economic and Educational status of these categories of the population.
It is high time that the Central Government frames a Legislation in this regard for benefits, welfare and all-round upliftment of the SEBC/ OBC categories of population after collection of scientific database through General Census 2021 for the establishment of compelling reasons, like, backwardness, inadequate representation and overall administrative efficiency.
It is therefore, requested again to consider the proposal for insertion of appropriate columns in the Census Format 2021 to get a clear picture regarding Socio-Economic and Educational Status of SEBC/ OBC/ other Caste/ Class for the formulation of appropriate policy for their benefits.”
Union Minister appreciated the concern of the Odisha BJD MPs for increasing the reservation ceiling beyond 50% and for Caste-based Census for the SEBC/OBCs.
