OBC Survey Begins In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Other Backward Classes (OBC) survey has begun in Odisha, today. It will continue till May 27.

After Bihar, Odisha is the second state to opt for a caste-based survey of the socioeconomic conditions of people from backward classes. Odisha government had earlier decided to conduct this survey in May and June 2021. But the COVID pandemic delayed the process.

As per reports, there are at least 208 communities in the OBC category in Odisha.

The notification of the Odisha government in this regard states, “In exercise of the powers conferred by the Sub-section 1(a) of Section 9 of the OSCBC Act, 1993 read with OSCBC (Amendment) Act, 2020, the Government of Odisha have been pleased to approve the proposal of the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes to conduct a survey of the social and educational conditions of the people belonging to the Backward Classes in Odisha.”

This survey will be conducted in all 314 blocks and 114 civic bodies in the State. It will be completed by May 27, 2023.

But opposition leaders termed the government’s move as ‘vote bank politics’ ahead of the 2024 elections. They suspected some hidden agenda behind it.

In Odisha, people from backward classes are believed to be around 54% of the state population. The state government claims that this survey will help in the formulation of effective policies for the development of backward classes.