Bhubaneswar, 22 December (H.S.): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday wrote to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, urging the immediate reconstitution of the Odisha State Backward Classes Commission (OSCBC). In his letter, Pradhan said that reviving the commission is crucial for ensuring social justice and fulfilling the aspirations of backward classes in the state.

The Union Minister pointed out that the tenure of the Odisha State Backward Classes Commission ended on January 3, 2024, and the commission has remained non-functional due to the non-appointment of new members. He noted that a significant portion of Odisha’s population—around 216 Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) communities—resides in the state, and the absence of a functional commission has adversely affected their access to education, employment and various welfare schemes. He also highlighted that these communities are currently deprived of a constitutional platform to raise their grievances.

Pradhan further underlined the key role of the OSCBC in recommending the inclusion of new communities in the SEBC list, addressing complaints, and providing policy advice to the government on matters concerning backward classes. As per the Odisha State Backward Classes Commission (Amendment) Act, 2020, the commission is also mandated to conduct surveys on the social and educational status of backward classes.

Emphasising the need for urgent action, the Union Minister said that the early reconstitution of the commission is essential for the establishment of social justice and for meeting the expectations of backward communities in Odisha. He appealed to the Chief Minister to personally intervene in the matter and ensure the prompt reconstitution of the commission in the larger interest of backward classes.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda