Government working on creating powerful body for OBCs
NEW DELHI: A major social welfare initiative from the Narendra Modi government will gather momentum next week, when the proposal to provide constitutional backing to the National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NSEBC) is likely to be tabled in Parliament. The prime minister is personally involved in shepherding this proposal.
NSEBC will replace the existing National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) that was created in response to a Supreme Court ruling in 1992. NCBC is not constitutionally backed, and has advisory powers. NSEBC's status will allow it to be a participative, decision-making body, rather than just playing an advisory role.
NSEBC's status will require a constitutional amendment – two-thirds approval from both Houses of Parliament and approval from 50% of state assemblies.
According to top government officials, who spoke on the condition they not be identified, work on the proposal was started two years back. Some associations of backward communities had approached the Centre with this request at that time.
The process of granting constitutional backing to NSEBC is driven by the logic that other backward classes (OBCs) need a body as empowered as that for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (SC/ST).
"SC/ST communities at least have a commission that has more powers. In the same way, this is to address grievances of OBCs through a more powerful and authoritative body. It was the prime minister's initiative throughout," a top government official said.
He said the NSEBC proposal is "not a thank-you note because of UP election mandate" but a process that started long back. BJP's massive poll victory in UP was in part because of OBC consolidation in the party's favour.
A senior government official said the PM was "very clear that te NSEBC proposal was in tune with the nature of legislative democracy in the country". "The government is surrendering its right to make any changes, which in itself is a big thing. It will be completely dependent on parliamentary consensus," the official added.
Meetings with OBC associations started in November 2014, after which there were three meetings in 2015 and five in 2016. Senior officials, including from ministries working on social welfare, attended the meetings.
NSEBC will replace the existing National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) that was created in response to a Supreme Court ruling in 1992. NCBC is not constitutionally backed, and has advisory powers. NSEBC's status will allow it to be a participative, decision-making body, rather than just playing an advisory role.
NSEBC's status will require a constitutional amendment – two-thirds approval from both Houses of Parliament and approval from 50% of state assemblies.
According to top government officials, who spoke on the condition they not be identified, work on the proposal was started two years back. Some associations of backward communities had approached the Centre with this request at that time.
The process of granting constitutional backing to NSEBC is driven by the logic that other backward classes (OBCs) need a body as empowered as that for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (SC/ST).
"SC/ST communities at least have a commission that has more powers. In the same way, this is to address grievances of OBCs through a more powerful and authoritative body. It was the prime minister's initiative throughout," a top government official said.
He said the NSEBC proposal is "not a thank-you note because of UP election mandate" but a process that started long back. BJP's massive poll victory in UP was in part because of OBC consolidation in the party's favour.
A senior government official said the PM was "very clear that te NSEBC proposal was in tune with the nature of legislative democracy in the country". "The government is surrendering its right to make any changes, which in itself is a big thing. It will be completely dependent on parliamentary consensus," the official added.
Meetings with OBC associations started in November 2014, after which there were three meetings in 2015 and five in 2016. Senior officials, including from ministries working on social welfare, attended the meetings.
