Vijai asks govt to conduct OBC census

Porvorim: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Monday urged state govt to take immediate steps to conduct other backward classes (OBC) caste census.
Sardesai, in his zero-hour mention, said that OBCs fear deprivation of socio-economic benefits in Goa because of incorrect and inadequate population data for more than a decade.
He said the OBC, comprising 19 castes, forms about one-third of the population of the state. Considering the socio-economic and political backwardness of the community, govt has previously extended reservations to the OBC.
“There is an urgent need to conduct a comprehensive caste-based census for the OBCs in Goa. The last such exercise was carried out during the 2011 census, and it is critical to update the data in line with the current socio-economic realities,” he said.
Accurate representation of OBCs in various govt schemes, welfare programmes, and political representation is vital for their upliftment and socio-economic development, he said and added that an updated census would ensure that the allocation of resources is equitable and reflective of the current population distribution and their specific needs.
While he requested that govt provide him with assurance on this matter, chief minister Pramod Sawant noted his request.