Bhubaneswar: The Odisha cabinet Saturday resolved that it would move to the Centre for a socio-economic caste enumeration during the 2021 Census.
The Cabinet took note of the fact that in the proposed formats for 2021 census, there is no provision to capture the details of the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and Other Backward Classes/Castes despite having done such exercise in the SECC 2011, the full data from which is yet to be released.
Against this background the State Cabinet in its meeting held under the chairmanship of chief minister Naveen Patnaik, here on Saturday, has unanimously resolved to move the government of India that a Socio-Economic Caste Enumeration be conducted simultaneously alongwith the General Census, either by inserting suitable columns in the Census format or by prescribing a separate format for a simultaneous enumeration of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and Other Backward Classes/Castes. It was also resolved to impress upon the Central Government to ensure that these enumeration details are published without any delay.
This shall enable State government to accelerate the pace of development of these communities leading to inclusive growth with greater momentum.
The Cabinet observed that no formal census including the caste details of the population has been done since 1931. Unavailability of reliable and authentic data about the exact numbers of the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and Other Backward Classes/Castes, geographical areas of their spread and density has been a huge challenge in ensuring focussed and outcome specific planning. The necessity of having such data was well appreciated by the Government of India as evident from the Socio-Economic Caste Census of 2011.
The Cabinet also took note of the fact that in the proposed formats for 2021 census, there is no provision to capture the details of the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and Other Backward Classes/Castes despite having done such exercise in the SECC 2011, the full data from which is yet to be released.
