Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], April 30 (ANI): Former Chief Minister of Odisha and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik welcomed the Centre's decision to conduct a caste-based census, calling it an important step toward ensuring social justice. He reminded that the Biju Janata Dal has long demanded this, along with the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservations.Taking to X, Patnaik said, "Welcome the decision of the Union Cabinet to include Caste Enumeration in the forthcoming census. @bjd_odisha has been repeatedly demanding a countrywide caste census and the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservation."Patnaik also mentioned that Odisha had already made some efforts in 2023 to count the number of people in different social classes within the state. He said these efforts were aimed at better planning for their development and upliftment."In Odisha, we also took certain concrete steps in 2023 to enumerate the number of people belonging to different classes to help us in making plans for their development and upliftment. The same objectives would now be met by this decision of the Central Government to conduct a caste-based census," he added.Patnaik also emphasised BJD's consistent stance on supporting social justice, particularly for backward classes such as Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC)."We in Biju Janata Dal always stand for #SocialJustice, especially for backward classes such as ST, SC, and OBC," he wrote.In a recent development, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also welcomed the Union Cabinet's decision to include caste in the upcoming census, calling it a long-overdue step. He said that the decision was supported by the Congress party and its INDI alliance partners.Kharge further added that true social justice and empowerment cannot be achieved without a caste census.Earlier, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the BJP-led Central government regarding the decision, mentioning that caste enumeration had already been part of Congress's resolution on social justice."This was said in the recent Congress resolution on social justice, which was passed in Ahmedabad on 9 April 2025. Better late than never," said the Congress MP.The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census.Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking after the cabinet meeting, said the decision reflects the government's commitment to the country's overall values and interests.According to Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the Census is a Union subject listed in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule. (ANI)