New Delhi, April 19 (IANS): The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave ex post facto approval to a bill for the creation of a national commission for socially and educationally backward classes in the country.

On April 5, the government introduced separate bills in Parliament to set up the panel -- to be known as the National Commission for Backward Classes -- and to repeal the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.

The bill on setting up the panel was passed by the Lok Sabha on April 10, but the Rajya Sabha referred it to a Select Committee on April 11 after the opposition blocked its consideration in the upper house.

An official statement said setting up of the commission will lead to the overall welfare of socially and educationally backward classes.

"The proposed repeal of the act is necessary to facilitate setting up of the new commission through the insertion of Article 338-B in the Constitution," the statement said.

"The decision will ensure continuity in the functioning of the National Commission for Backward Classes under Article 338-B," it said.

The proposed move will also accord a constitutional status to the national commission.

The present National Commission for Backward Classes was set up under the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993, to examine requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the list and hear complaints of over- or under-inclusion of any backward class in such list.