PANJIM: The Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment Ramdas Athawale has expressed its concern for non-Goan members of scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) and other backward classes (OBC) who are deprived of benefits despite residing in Goa for over five decades.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, said he will meet Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to urge him to include this group along with Goan-origin ‘reserved’ categories.

“There are many non-Goan families, belonging to weaker sections residing in Goa for more than 40 years. They are now Goan residents but are deprived benefits of welfare schemes. The governments in their State of origin route them to Goa citing their long stay here, but in Goa their caste does not figure in any of the categories,” he said at a press conference, after a meeting with officials concerned at the Secretariat on Monday.

Athawale said he would meet Parrikar on this so that the tribals are also eligible to avail of government benefits. “All those staying in Goa before 1968 should get the benefit of government schemes. I will meet CM requesting to make it happen,” he added.

Goa has 2 percent reservation for SC, 12 percent for ST and 27 percent OBC. Athawale was informed by bureaucrats that 549 persons belonging to SC, 2797 belonging to ST and another 4180 OBC are employed in Goa while the backlog is 91, 1942 and 3140 in the respective categories. He expressed his disappointment that ‘very few’ SC students are studying. “There are 114 students in pre-matric and 264 are studying post-matric. The figures are disappointing, it has upset me,” he said.