Sunil Prajapati meets LG and Discussed Various Issues of OBCs

JAMMU, April 04: A delegation of BJP OBC Morcha J&K UT, led by President of the Morcha, Sunil Prajapati called on the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Shina, at Raj Bhawan Jammu and took up various issues for welfare of Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Handed over a memorandum in this regard. Besides he took a up common issues pertaining to renaming “BC Road” Jammu as “Sant Gora Ji Marg”  in the Memory of Sant Gora Ji Maharaj, a Notable Saint of 13th Centaury from Prajapati Samaj and associated with Bhakti Movement and also requested for installation of statue of “Jyoti Rao Phule” at one of the Chowk in Jammu, who was a Social Reformer of 19th Century and always worked for removal of Social evils and discrimination like anti caste social discrimination, Sati Pratha and Child Marriage.

Sunil Prajapati on this occasion, also apprised certain of OBCs to the LG, including Completion of OBC Hostel Building at Palora, Jammu, whose construction work was started during 2016 and is still incomplete as no funds were allocated after 2018 and requested for allocation of funds for completion of OBC Hostel so that the Hostel building can be completed at the earliest. Further, he requested for attachment of OBC Hostel at Basloli to the Higher Education Department for regulating the hostel facilities at the disposal of Govt Degree College Basoli for providing hostel facilities to Boys studying in Govt Degree College Basoli.

He also requested that only one Secretary and a peon have been posted in the OBC Welfare Board.  Sufficient staff needs to be posted in the OBC Welfare Board office for smooth function and proper welfare of the OBC community people.

Sunil Prajapati while discussing the other issues of OBCs he requested for updation of the online portal for issuance of OBC Certificate in accordance with the SO 176 of 2024 through which OBC Reservation has been implemented in the J&K UT and 15 more castes have been added in the OBC category.  Further, the Centre List for OBC still contains 24 castes, while as per Annexure D to SO 176/2024, there are 41 castes.  The concerned Department should initiated necessary action to include all the 41 castes in the Centre OBC list so the Centre OBC Certificate can also be also obtained by the newly added 15 OBC Castes.

Prajapati also discussed about the discrimination in the Income Bar criteria for the J&K UT OBC Certificate for bringing the Criteria of Income Bar at par with that of Centre OBC Certificate. In this regard he expressed that though the OSC category has been replaced with OBC Category as per SO 176 of 15th March 2024, yet the Income Bar criteria for OBC category has not been revised for issuance State OBC Certificate.  In this regard Prajapati, requested the LG that Income Bar for issuance of OBC Certificate for UT needs may be revised in accordance with the Income Bar Rules as laid down by the Govt of India and being followed by all the States and UTs in the Country.

The Lt Governor listened the grievances and issues of OBCs very patiently and assured for favourable action to address the grievance of the OBCs.  All those who were part of the delegation were Raj Kumar TaTarkhan, Suresh Salgotra, Kewal Verma, Ashok verma and Anil Balgotra.