Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday demanded a comprehensive caste census in the country, calling the exercise crucial to understanding the socio-economic conditions of backward classes.
The party also demanded the inclusion of the socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC) of Odisha in the national OBC list.
A delegation of the regional party met Ganesh Singh, chairperson of the parliamentary committee on the welfare of OBCs, and said that while the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 offered valuable insights into the socio-economic status of rural and urban households, it lacked crucial caste-related data necessary for informed policymaking and equitable distribution of resources.
“A caste census would provide comprehensive data on parameters such as household structure, income sources, educational attainment and employment status across different caste groups,” senior party leader Pratap Jena said.
Accurate data is vital for the formulation of appropriate reservation policies in education and employment, the regional party said, adding that caste-specific data would enable the government to design and implement development programmes that effectively target and uplift disadvantaged groups.
“Detailed caste data would inform policies that address socio-economic disparities and foster social justice,” the party said in a representation to the committee.
The party, which lost power in June 2024 after having been the ruling party in Odisha for 24 years, also said, “The SEBC community in Odisha has historically faced socio-economic disadvantages, and their inclusion in the national OBC list would ensure they receive the necessary benefits and support for their upliftment.”
Odisha has 231 SEBC communities, who get 11.25 per cent reservation in government jobs, although there is no reservation for them in education.
Even as caste calculations rarely make a difference in Odisha’s electoral politics, the Naveen Patnaik-led party has been vocal for a caste census in the country, having made a similar demand ahead of 2021 census, which couldn’t be conducted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While the BJD was in power, the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes conducted a survey in 2023 on the conditions of SEBCs. It was found that SEBCs make up over 39.31 per cent of Odisha’s total population and that their population is mostly concentrated in the state’s coastal belt. The government, however, has not made the findings of the report public.
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
