Over 36 lakh residents from Jammu and Kashmir will benefit from a slew of measures on reservation and promotions announced by the Union Cabinet Thursday, said government official adding that the move will pave the way for reservation for economically weaker sections and promotion in service to the Schedule Cast and Schedule Tribes.
Over 36 lakh residents from Jammu and Kashmir will benefit from a slew of measures on reservation and promotions announced by the Union Cabinet Thursday, said government official adding that the move will pave the way for reservation for economically weaker sections and promotion in service to the Schedule Cast and Schedule Tribes.
The major beneficiary will be from SC/ST while those from economically weaker section constitute 12.50 lakh of the population in Jammu and Kashmir, as per the 2011 population census, officials added. On Thursday, the union cabinet had rolled out 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) in educational institutions and government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir and approved the benefit of promotion in service to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The new reservation will come in addition to existing quotas in the state.
Amid apprehension in the state that the government may tweak Article 35A, Home Ministry officials maintained that the decision will not impact Article 370 or Article 35A. They said the move will pave the way for reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) and promotion in service to people from Schedule Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribe (ST) communities.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, the Centre had also announced an ordinance will be promulgated to bring people residing in areas adjoining the international border within the ambit of reservation on a par with those living in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control, in a move aimed at reaching out to the Jammu region. Earlier, the provision of 3 per cent reservation was available only for youth living within 6 kilometres of LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.
Explaining the rationale for the cabinet decision, a senior home ministry official said, “Now this provision will be applicable for people living near the IB also. This has been a long pending demand of the population living near the IB as they have been facing the brunt of cross border firing in Jammu and Kashmir.” The move, sources said, will help people from the Jammu region, a key vote bank for the BJP in the state.
It may be recalled that the union government in winter session has brought a new constitutional amendment to benefit the poor section of the population not covered under any of the existing quotas. The legislation had received widespread political support and was applied across the country except in J&K. Now, with the extension of the rule to J&K, the state’s poor people will be eligible for the quota.
The major beneficiary will be from SC/ST while those from economically weaker section constitute 12.50 lakh of the population in Jammu and Kashmir, as per the 2011 population census, officials added. On Thursday, the union cabinet had rolled out 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) in educational institutions and government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir and approved the benefit of promotion in service to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The new reservation will come in addition to existing quotas in the state.
Amid apprehension in the state that the government may tweak Article 35A, Home Ministry officials maintained that the decision will not impact Article 370 or Article 35A. They said the move will pave the way for reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) and promotion in service to people from Schedule Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribe (ST) communities.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, the Centre had also announced an ordinance will be promulgated to bring people residing in areas adjoining the international border within the ambit of reservation on a par with those living in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control, in a move aimed at reaching out to the Jammu region. Earlier, the provision of 3 per cent reservation was available only for youth living within 6 kilometres of LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.
Explaining the rationale for the cabinet decision, a senior home ministry official said, “Now this provision will be applicable for people living near the IB also. This has been a long pending demand of the population living near the IB as they have been facing the brunt of cross border firing in Jammu and Kashmir.” The move, sources said, will help people from the Jammu region, a key vote bank for the BJP in the state.
It may be recalled that the union government in winter session has brought a new constitutional amendment to benefit the poor section of the population not covered under any of the existing quotas. The legislation had received widespread political support and was applied across the country except in J&K. Now, with the extension of the rule to J&K, the state’s poor people will be eligible for the quota.