Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet today approved a proposal for amendment of the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC) Act, 1993 by inserting sub section 3 under Section 9, to enable the State government to include 22 castes in the State list of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs), if the said Backward Classes have been specified in the Central list of OBCs for the State of Odisha.
Article 15(4) of the Constitution of India enables the State to make any special- -provisions for the advancement of any SEBC citizens.
Further, Article 46 of the Constitution of India provides that, the State shall promote, with special care, the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
Presently, there are 22 nos of castes/communities along with their synonyms, which have already been notified by the Government of India as OBCs for the State of Odisha, through various notifications from time to time with regard to their social and educational backwardness, but they have not yet been included in the list of SEBCs of our State.
In view of the social and educational backwardness of these 22 nos of castes/communities along with their synonyms, they are required to be included in the list of SEBCs for the State of Odisha for extending all social welfare measures and benefits leading to their inclusive growth, thereby bringing them to the mainstream of development.
