The Social Justice and Empowerment (SJ&E) Ministry on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply that enumeration of data of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) was “administratively complex” and the information was incomplete and inaccurate.
In response to a question by YSRCP’s Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Minister of State for SJ&E Pratima Bhoumik said the government had not made a formal request to the Home Ministry for a headcount of the OBC population to be added to the Census in the past five years.
Asked what the reason for the decision was, the Minister’s written reply stated: “The Census Act, 1948 does not have a provision for enumeration of the OBCs. Also enumeration of OBC data is administratively complex and the information lacks completeness and accuracy since the State and Central list of OBCs are distinct.”
Detailed consultations
The MP also asked why the report of the Justice G. Rohini Commission on OBC sub-categorisation had been delayed, to which the Minister replied that the commission had proposed to hold detailed consultations with all the States and Union Territories, “which has been delayed due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic”.
The commission had been appointed in 2017 to examine the matter of sub-categorisation of OBCs, with the initial deadline of 12 weeks, which has been extended several times over the years.
The Minister said the government had not asked the commission for an interim report.
