The Odisha government has decided to conduct a survey for enumeration of other backward classes (OBCs) in the state and complete the process by July next even as the Opposition BJP had earlier accused the BJD government of deliberately delaying the survey.
“The Government of Odisha has been pleased to accept the proposal of the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC) to resume the survey of the social and educational conditions of the people belonging to backward classes in Odisha,” V V Yadav, member secretary, National Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC), stated in a letter to the collectors/commissioners of municipal corporations.
The entire process of the survey shall be completed by 12 July 2023. Various activities under the survey shall be carried out as per the revised schedule, the letter said.
That the collectors/ commissioners of municipal corporations shall be in overall charge of the survey and hence they should personally monitor different survey activities for its timely completion. They should ensure that the detailed action points are carried out promptly to avoid any dislocation in the survey process, the letter added.
The BJP had earlier alleged that the state government had flouted the Supreme Court order to first make a provision of reservations for the OBCs and before going for the local body polls. The state government had gone for a three-tier panchayat and the urban polls despite the apex court order, the saffron party had claimed.
As per the data available with the NCBC, Odisha has 200 castes listed under OBC and the state government has a list of 209 castes in in Socially Educationally Backward Caste category, BJP state OBC cell president Surath Biswal said.