Centre’s no to Orissa on including Khandayat caste in OBC list

A file picture of Mr. D. Napoleon, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment. Photo: S. Thanthoni

The centre has rejected the proposal of Orissa government to include Khandayat and Mahalayak castes in the central list of OBCs, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) had received a proposal from the state for including the two castes in the Central List of OBCs for Orissa, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment D Napoleon told the upper House in a written reply.

Mr. Napoleon was replying to a question whether the Orissa government has sent any proposal for including Khardayat and Mohalayak castes in the central OBC list.

The minister informed the Rajya Sabha that NCBC, after considering all the materials and evidences produced, had advised not to include the two castes in the list.

“And the same (to reject the proposal) has been accepted by the government,” he said.