Porvorim (Goa): The State Government has recorded over 5,000 backlog vacancies of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Caste even as around 7,000 from the respective categories are employed across different sectors in the State. 

Central Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said he is working closely with the Goa government to ensure clearing the backlog. Details shared with the media reveals that a total of 549 SC candidates are working in Goa while another 2,797 and 4,180 ST and OBC categories respectively are also employed in different parts of the State.  

However, 91 SC, 1,942 ST and 3,140 seats of OBC are yet to be filled with government declaring it as backlog vacancies. As per the State reservation quota, there are 2 percent SC reservations, 12 percent ST reservations and 27 percent OBC reservations.

The minister, who is in Goa to take a stock of the situation in this sector, said he will meet Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to strengthen these categories of people. He was however disappointed over extremely poor response from SC students studying pre and post matric. 

On another issue, Athawale has suggested the government for setting up free day-care centre for elderly people belonging to SC/ST/OBC besides boys and girls hostels for non-Goan students.