Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, urging early reconstitution of the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC).
The Commission became functus officio after its tenure ended on January 3, 2024, and currently has no appointed members.
Pradhan stressed that Odisha is home to 216 Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) communities, which form a significant portion of the state’s population. He noted that these communities continue to face challenges in accessing equitable opportunities in education, employment, and welfare schemes. Without a functioning Commission, they lack statutory representation to voice concerns and seek redressal.
The OSCBC plays a crucial role in examining requests for inclusion in the SEBC list, addressing grievances, and advising the government on policy matters. Following the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (Amendment) Act, 2020, the body also gained responsibility for conducting surveys on the social and educational conditions of backward class communities.
Pradhan emphasised that reconstituting the Commission would uphold the spirit of social justice and fulfil the aspirations of Odisha’s backward communities.
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