In a significant move towards promoting the welfare and progress of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel presided over the first meeting of the Chhattisgarh Other Backward Classes Advisory Council. The council has been established by the state government to provide crucial guidance on matters concerning the protection and overall well-being of OBC communities.
During the meeting, CM Baghel emphasized the importance of OBC communities taking full advantage of government schemes available to them. He stressed the need to prioritize education, social development, economic growth, entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities for OBCs.
Highlighting ongoing income-generating initiatives, the Chief Minister specifically mentioned the establishment of Gauthans (village-level infrastructure centres) and Rural Industrial Parks aimed at creating better employment prospects. He encouraged suggestions for additional activities in these parks, with a particular focus on ventures related to vegetable trade, such as the installation of dryers and packing facilities in regions known for substantial vegetable production.
CM Baghel extended a warm welcome to all participants at the council meeting and expressed satisfaction with the council’s efforts in ensuring representation from diverse sub-castes and regions within the OBC community. He applauded the Hardiya Sahu Samaj for their initiatives promoting mass marriages and the Sonkar Samaj for their contributions to the field of education. The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of recognizing and supporting skilled individuals associated with business and employment in other sections of the OBC community, calling on society to encourage their recognition and upliftment.
During the Advisory Council meeting, all members expressed gratitude for the establishment of the council and its inclusive representation of the Other Backward Classes. CM Baghel announced several developmental projects, including the approval of 15 new post-matric hostels for OBC students in the upcoming year 2023-24, with eight hostels for boys and seven for girls.
Council members recommended increasing the number of hostels to meet the growing educational needs of OBC students. They also suggested organizing coaching programs within the hostels for competitive exams like PET, PMT, PSC, and others, benefiting OBC students across the state.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Premsai Singh Tekam, the Tribal and Scheduled Caste, Backward Class, and Minority Development Minister, who serves as the Vice Chairman of the Council. Also present were Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu, Urban Administration Minister Dr. Shiv Kumar Dahariya, Parliamentary Secretaries Parasnath Rajwada and Vinod Sevanlal Chandrakar, MLA Dhanendra Sahu, Dr. Vinay Jaiswal, Ramkumar Yadav, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Subrat Sahoo, Secretary of the Tribal and Scheduled Castes Development Department D.D. Singh, Commissioner Shammi Abidi, and council members.
The Chhattisgarh government remains steadfast in its commitment to uplifting and advancing the Other Backward Classes, and the inaugural meeting of the OBC Advisory Council signifies a significant step towards achieving these objectives.
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