Bill being introduced in Legislature
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 9: Jammu and Kashmir has become first State in the country to extend six per cent reservations to “weak and under privileged of all unreserved castes”, which would come into effect by an act of legislation, that was likely to be introduced in ongoing budget session of the Legislature. The Government has also approved three per cent reservations in the Government jobs for Pahari-speaking people of the State.
“People having annual income of Rs I lakh or less will fall under the category of ‘weak and under privileged’-irrespective of their caste and area they live,” official sources told the Excelsior. They said the “poorest of poor” from unreserved castes, who fall in the category of “weak and under privileged” fixed by the Government, would be entitled for the reservations.
The proposal to this effect was mooted by Social Welfare Minister Sajjad Ghani Lone after a detailed exercise was conducted by the Backward Classes Commission, headed by Jeet Lal Gupta. The proposal, according to sources, has been approved by the State Government.
However, the proposal will be subject to approval of both Houses of Legislature.
The Government has met long pending demand of Pahari-speaking people in the entire State by extending three per cent reservations to them in the Government jobs. The Pahari-speaking people had been demanding reservations for past several years.
“By extending six percent reservations in Government jobs to ‘weak and under privileged’ of all unreserved castes and three per cent to Paharis, the Government has ensured that reservation limit don’t exceed 50 per cent to meet the Supreme Court guidelines,” sources said, adding that three per cent reservations were already available in the State while six per cent reservations would be cut from RBA (Resident of Backward Areas).
The reservations extended to Backward Area Residents have to be reviewed after regular intervals, sources pointed out.
The RBA reservations will come down from 20 to 14 per cent.
They said the Pahari-speaking people would be identified by the specific language they speak. Earlier also, the proposals for extending reservations to Pahari speaking people had been mooted on several occasions but they didn’t mature on different pretexts. Successive Governments had considered and debated the proposal but didn’t formalize it.
Sources said to identify “weak and under privileged classes” of all castes, the Government has fixed Rs 1 lakh income of entire family per annum. The people living in any area of Jammu and Kashmir having entire family income of Rs 1 lakh or less will fall in “weak and underprivileged class” and will be entitled to six per cent reservations.
“The people living in any part of the State including cities and towns and even those belonging to upper castes, will be entitled to reservations under ‘weak and underprivileged category’ created by the Social Welfare Department,” sources said, adding Jammu and Kashmir will become first State in the country to extend reservations to “weak and under privileged classes” including those falling among upper castes.
Sources said the Government proposed to introduce a bill to extend reservations to Pahari-speaking people and “weak and underprivileged classes” of all castes in current session of the Legislature and if consensus emerged in both Houses and the bill is through, the reservations would be implemented.
According to sources, Social Welfare Minister Sajjad Ghani Lone had mooted idea of reservations to “weak and under privileged classes” of all castes and Pahari-speaking people and the Ministry worked hard on the issue during the past one year. Simultaneously, the Backward Classes Commission headed by Jeet Lal Gupta also undertook an extensive exercise for extending these reservations including the criteria to be adopted.
Finally, the Department came out with the proposal, which has been approved by the Government. The Department has drafted legislation for introduction in the Legislative Assembly and, if approved by the MLAs, it will go to the Council for their nod, before becoming an Act.
Sources said the Government by an Act of legislation also proposed to extend the term of Backward Classes Chairman and Members from three years to five years.
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