Bhubaneswar: In a significant move aimed at safeguarding the interests of the backward communities in Odisha, Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has written a formal letter to Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, seeking the immediate reconstitution of the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes.
The Union Minister emphasized that the absence of a functional commission is a major roadblock to social justice, leaving millions of citizens from the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) without a dedicated constitutional platform to address their grievances.
The urgency of the appeal stems from the fact that the term of the previous Commission expired in January 2024. Since then, no new appointments have been made for the Chairperson or the Members, rendering the body entirely non-functional for nearly two years.
Shri Pradhan highlighted that this administrative vacuum has direct and detrimental consequences for the 216 SEBC communities in the state, who depend on the commission’s recommendations and oversight for access to various governmental benefits.
According to the Union Minister, the lack of an active Commission has led to a systematic deprivation of facilities for the backward classes. In the absence of a functional body, these communities are finding it increasingly difficult to avail themselves of benefits in education, professional admissions, and public employment. Furthermore, the implementation of vital welfare schemes tailored for these groups has been hampered, as there is no statutory body to monitor their progress or advocate for the inclusion of eligible castes.
The letter also pointed out that the lack of a Commission prevents these communities from presenting their specific socio-economic challenges before a recognized authority.
Minister Shri Pradhan noted that while the state government has recently approved an 11.25 percent reservation for SEBCs in higher education, the overall framework for their development remains incomplete without a dedicated commission to oversee broader rights and entitlements.
Concluding his letter, the Union Minister appealed to the Chief Minister to personally intervene in the matter. He urged the State Government to expedite the process of appointing qualified individuals to the Commission to ensure that the constitutional rights of the backward classes are protected and that they are no longer excluded from the State’s development roadmap.