Sunil Prajapati Discussed Various Issues of OBCs with Chairman NCBC Chairman

Sunil Prajapati, President BJP OBC Morcha raised various issues of OBCs with Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Chairman National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) at Srinagar, during his Visit to J&K and apprised him that the pending issues of OBC category in J&K which needs to be addressed on priority to serve justice to the OBCs. In the beginning, Prajapati along with his team of OBC Morcha welcomed the Chairman NCBC on his arrival at the venue of meeting by presenting bouquet of flowers. The meeting of Chairman NCBC with various stakeholders was organized by the J&K UT Govt at MA Road Banquet Hall, Srinagar. Principle Secretary Education, Commissioner Secy Social Welfare Department, Sheetal Nanda, Principal Commissioner Secretary GAD Sanjeev Verma and Abid Hussain, Secretary Health were also present in the meeting.

Sunil Prajapati discussed the issues of OBCs including Income bar Criteria for Issuance of OBC Certificates, since the Rules for Creamy layer as prescribed by the Union Govt are not being followed by the J&K Govt, wherein all Group II and Group III (Non Gazetted) Govt Employees don’t fall in the Creamy Layer, while J&K UT govt is still following the Income Bar criteria framed by previous J&K Govt for issuance of OSC certificates, where in whole income of all family members including income from Agriculture sources is calculated towards Annual Income, which is against the spirit of Union Govt orders on Creamy layer, as such creamy layer Criteria should be replaced as per Centre Govt orders.

Prajapati also apprised that Word ‘Rural Only’ as shown against Barber, Kumhar, Teli and Washerman (Dhobi) castes needs to be removed from the Centre OBC list as had already been removed in the State OBC list vide J&K Govt Circular No 32-GAD of 1998 dated 02-12-1998 as also no such condition has been included in the SO 176 of 15 March 2024. Prajapati added that J&K UT Govt has considered 41 castes as OBC in J&K vide SO 176, but the Centre OBC list still contains 24 castes only as such remaining OBC castes be included in the Centre OBC list ungently to provide justice to the newly added OBC castes.

He also apprised that Reservation to OBCs in the J&K UT is provided 8% reservation vide SO 176 of 2024, whereas 15 more castes have been added taking total to 41 castes whose population is around 40%, as such the percentage of reservation to OBC needs to be enhanced as per population ratio.

Prajapati also raised the issue that pre-matric scholarship to OBCs has been stopped from 2020, which has made the poor families to suffer adversely. He requested that the pre-matric scholarship may be restored immediately. Prajapati also raised the issue of completion of OBC Hostel building at Kot Bhalwal, which is lying incomplete since 2017. He also expressed the need of Hostel in each District of the UT.