It is a commendable step proposed to be taken by the State Government on the recommendation of the State Commission for Backward Classes to extend reservation benefits to the people living in villages along International Border within a radius of six Kilometres . This was much awaited and rather fallen overdue. We cannot by any means underestimate the quantum of hardships that these residents usually face as and when unprovoked firing and shelling from Pakistan takes place which disturbs their routine, poses dangers to their life and limb besides causing damages to their property and cattle .
With this recommendation of the Commission getting translated into reality, a population of over three lakh people was going to be benefitted covering 350 villages right from Kathua to Pargwal in Akhnoor in Jammu division. However, villages already declared as Reserved Backward Areas (RBA) shall not be entitled to this reservation as an additional benefit. For this recommendation of the Commission to happen getting percolated to the implementation level, the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules 2005 shall be amended to be known as ..”residents of the areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control (ALC) and the International Border (IB)” instead of residents of area adjoining the Actual Line of Control. It is pertinent to note that in terms of Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act 2004 read with Reservation Rules 2005 , residents of the area adjoining Actual Line of Control with Pakistan and China in Jammu and Kashmir have already been provided with reservation benefits of and up to 3 percent.
However, the decision to maintain the present quantum of 3percent or increasing the same for ALC and the IB residents combined together shall be taken later on after the fate of two bills pertaining to reservation for Pahari speaking people and economically weaker classes of unreserved category are decided. The Governor has to give his nod to the two bills, one envisaging six percent reservation to weaker and under privileged classes of the unreserved category and the other one extending three percent reservation benefits to the Pahari speaking people in the State after the same were approved and passed by the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council during the last Budget session.
It may be recalled that at present 43 percent reservation has been fixed for various categories including SC 8 percent, ST 10 percent, Social Castes 2 percent, RBA 20 percent, and the ALC 3 percent. The Bill proposing 6 percent to weaker and under privileged classes of the unreserved category also envisages that the RBA reservation shall be restricted to 15 percent instead of existing 20 percent. Like this, a combined 47 percent of reservation would be fixed to all categories and then the present quota of 3percent to be enhanced to 6percent for ALC and IB combined could be increased.
It is hoped that Governor Satya Pal Malik who already stands briefed on the matter and has shown his positive response in extending the proposed benefits of reservation to the residents of the areas living along IB shall be giving his approval to the already passed legislation on the subject matter so that reservation benefits could reach the people facing predicaments and strains of dislocation and displacement many a time on account of unprovoked hostilities from the other side of the border
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