Bihar panel seeks more welfare measures for poor upper castes

Just last week, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar revived the defunct 'Savarna Ayog' by appointing new president, vice president and members. On Wednesday, the new members held their first meeting and pressed for more benefits for the poor upper caste in the state.

The commission was formed in the state in 2011 to identify the deprived and underprivileged families among upper castes. In December 2014, then chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi expressed displeasure over the commission failing to file any report and spending almost Rs 15 crores. Since then, the commission was almost redundant till last week. However, the current team feels that the commission is relevant now.

"Earlier there was no scientific data to find out or estimate what is the status of upper caste population in Bihar and how many of them are poor. Post the socio-economic survey done by the Bihar government in 2023, we have robust data and we know the actual condition of the upper caste families in the state. Now we can recommend steps which could help the upper caste families in the state," Rajeev Ranjan, vice president of the Savaran Ayog, tells ET.

In the first meeting the commission formed three different sub-committees with a mandate to work on the possibilities including age relaxation in government jobs and free coaching and hostel for poor students. These sub-committees will submit a report in one month and some of the recommendations could become part of the government agenda ahead of elections.