OBC community’s pleas echo in Srinagar

Srinagar, July 29: Chairperson National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), Hansraj Gangaram Ahir Monday met various delegations of Other Backward Castes (OBCs) at Banquet Hall in Srinagar and after listening to their grievances pledged to enhance their reservations and reduce bureaucratic hurdles.

An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that the chairperson gave the delegations a patient hearing and said that all their genuine issues would be solved on a merit basis and it would be ensured that appropriate steps are taken so that all the community members belonging to the caste will avail those benefits.

Later, the chairperson held a meeting with the officers on the subject of welfare measures undertaken to secure representation of OBCs in employment and admission in various departments, boards, educational institutions, and medical institutes in J&K.

Ahir queried about the enhancement of reservation quota in education and employment opportunities and directed the concerned to take appropriate steps so that benefits percolate to the last man standing in the queue.

He said that the certificates should be issued to the people without any undue delay and make the process more easy.

Earlier, the delegations apprised the NCBC chairperson of their grievances and sought his intervention in ensuring redressal of the same in a time-bound manner.

The delegations raised the issue of raising reservations, restoring pre-matric scholarship of OBCs in Jammu and Kashmir.

They also said that the OBC hostel facility should be made available in every district of J&K so that the community does not face problems.

The delegations also raised the issue of the inclusion of genuine sub-castes in the OBC category which have been left out.

The various delegations also raised the issue of alleged delay in issuance of certificates to the people belonging to the community and said that the issue needs to be looked at for the sake of the student community belonging to OBC.

Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Department Sheetal Nanda gave a detailed presentation of the factual position of the OBCs issues and highlighted the various Initiatives taken by the government for the welfare of the O?? population.

She said that the advisory board for the welfare and development of the OBC population and various hostels for OBC students had been set up where the government provides free hostel accommodation.

Nanda said that 15 castes had been included in the list of OBCs of J&K in addition to the existing 27 castes of OBCs.

She said that the reservation in direct recruitment and admission in various professional institutions increased from 2 percent to 4 percent in 2020 and from 4 percent to 8 percent in 2024.

Nanda said that recently, reservations to OBCs had been provided in local bodies in J&K.

She said that the change in nomenclature of Weak and Under Privileged Classes (Social Caste) to OBCs had not only fulfilled the long pending demand of the OBC community but also done away with the confusion which existed due to two different nomenclatures for the same set of communities in J&K and rest of the country.

Secretary Health also gave a presentation highlighting the broad contours of admission details and recruitment details in various medical institutions and the earmarked reservation quota of OBCs.

Secretary NCBC Ashish Upadhyaya; Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Ranjan Swain; Principal Secretary Higher Education Department, Alok Kumar;  Commissioner, Secretary GAD, Sanjeev Kumar; Secretary Health and Medical Education Syed Abid Rasheed Shah; Advisor NCBC, Rajesh Kumar and various HoDs of the J&K government were also attended the meeting.