Former Union Minister Srikant Jena demands Odisha Assembly's resolution on caste census

BHUBANESWAR: Former Union Minister Srikant Jena on Saturday demanded that caste based census should be started in the State immediately for proper identification of beneficiaries and transferring of funds for social schemes in rural areas. 

As a meeting of the state assembly has been convened on June 13 for election to the post of Speaker, the State government should take this opportunity to pass a resolution in this regard in the House.

As a caste based census is supported by all political parties, the resolution can be unanimous, he said and urged the Chief Minister to start the process before his foreign visit. Jena said that the BJD has supported caste based census and unanimous resolutions have been passed in both the houses of Parliament in this regard.

Though the BJP had announced its support for caste based census, the Centre had informed in March about its inability to proceed in this regard, he said and added that the reason behind this still remains unclear. The former Union Minister said that a caste based census can only give justice to the OBCs who constitute 54 per cent population in Odisha.