Odisha Govt constitutes Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes

Odisha Government has constituted Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes under the Chairmanship of Justice Raghunath Biswal, Former Judge Odisha High Court.

The other members of the Commission are--Professor Dr. Navneeta Rath, Professor Dr. Mitali Chinara and Dr. Prasanna Kumar Patra.

Veer Vikram Yadav, IAS has been nominated as Member Secretary of the Commission.

According to an official release, the State Government has constituted Commission in accordance with the provisions contained in the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes Act 1993.

Justice Raghunath Biswal who is the Chairman of the new Commission was a former Judge of the Odisha High Court. Earlier, he had also served as President State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission from November 2012 to March 2017.

National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) chairperson Bhagwan Lal Sahani had on Tuesday said that he will raise the issue of reservation for other backward classes with state secretary and would request the State government to resolve the matter and constitute OBC commission.

Speaking to ANI, Sahani said, "I have learned about the status of reservation in the state. Only 11.25 per cent reservation is given to OBCs whereas it is 27 per cent in other states. I will take the matter to the state government and request them to resolve it."

He also demanded the reservation benefits to be extended to schools and colleges.Sahani also received a memorandum in this regard from the social justice front, outlining that there are 54 per cent of OBC citizens and they do not receive any reservation benefit in admission in college and schools.