A large part of the population of the country (around 40 per cent) belongs to middle or lower middle class, but they are always deprived of most benefits under Government schemes.

They are the honest tax payers of the country, but unfortunately, even after 74 years of independence the Indian Government has focused primarily only on the other two classes of the population, such as SC/ST and OBC, providing them various incentives and benefits, alleged the Rastriya Madhyabita Parivar Mahasangha.

Addressing a Press conference here on Tuesday, Mahasangha president Pradeep Mishra said a 10-point charter of demands has been submitted to the Prime Minister of India in this regard.

Mishra demanded that the Government should identify a list of the lower middle class and middle class people deprived of Government assistance during natural disasters especially in the wake of the Corona epidemic and publish them for greater public consumption.  Besides, the Government should enact a law in the Parliament to improve the social and economic status of the lower middle class as well as ensure livelihood for the middle class, he said.

The organisation demanded that Union Government should form a high level commission (Middle Commission) for detailed interpretation and re-categorization based on current financial situation of class.

Also, the Government of India should set up a Special Social Security Fund for the economic security and social equality of the lower middle class and middle class, as well as the families affected by the epidemic, especially those who do not have any official documents.

The forum also demanded a special financial package for the middle class people so that they can be financially self-sufficient and self-reliant.

In the case of employment in all Government, private jobs and industries in the state, local youths should be given employment opportunities in the first place and employment should also be provided to migrant Odias who have lost their jobs in outside the State, the forum said.

The 10 per cent EWS Reservation (Economically Weaker Section) should get implemented with immediate effect which was initiated by Government of India in 2019 and has already been implemented in many States. Odisha is lagging behind to implement EWS quota and relaxation benefits, it said.