Backward classes panel recommends inclusion of 7 castes, sub-castes from Maharashtra in central OBC list

NCBC chairperson Ahir and commission member Bhuvan Bhushan Kamal held two hearings on the issue, on July 26 and October 17, at Sahyadri state guest house in Mumbai, an NCBC statement said.

The statement said it had decided to “tender its advice” to the Union government on the issue.

All the castes recommended for inclusion are already part of the state OBC list, officials of the state government said. In the case of Powar, Bhoyar and Pawar castes, the central list had already included them as Powar, Bhoyar Pawar and Bhoyar. However, the communities had submitted representations that they should be included separately. Hence, in this instance, the NCBC has recommended adding all three separately.

The Bhoyar, Powar and Pawar communities are concentrated in Vidarbha region of eastern Maharashtra, especially in Bhandara and Gondia districts. They were first added to the central list between 1996 and 1998, as per public records. The Gujar sub-castes recommended for inclusion are largely concentrated in north Maharashtra across Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar.

As of now, 261 castes from Maharashtra are on the Central list of OBCs. In their proposals, state governments have to back recommendations for addition of castes with data on the social, economical and educational backwardness of the communities.

The commission then vets the data and recommends it to the Centre for their approval. Subsequently, the Centre then notifies the recommended list of castes.

The communities added to the list are eligible for availing reservation in central government jobs, institutes of higher education and scholarships.