Centre announces 10% quota for economically weaker sections
The Narendra Modi government has announced 10 percent reservation in jobs and higher education for the economically weaker sections in the general category. The government will move a constitutional amendment bill in Rajyasabha to bring this announcement into action, most likely today itself.
The decision was approved in the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday and will have an impact on the upcoming general election.
Union Minister Vijay Sampla said that the move will benefit those who earn less than Rs. 8 lakh a year, have less than five acre land. Jobs are already reserved for impoverished and disadvantaged lower castes. The criteria for economic quota will be the same as that for Other Backward Castes or OBCs.
"This was a long-standing demand but only the Modi government had the courage to do it. Brahmins, baniyas, Christians, Muslims, all will benefit from this," Vijay Sampla said.
Though the government is confident of amending the constitution to get the bill cleared in Rajyasabha, it will take some legal procedures as the Supreme Court allows only 50 percent cap on quotas. The government decision will take the quota to 60 percent.
But the government is very adamant and clear that the Supreme Court's restriction is only for social reservation and not for the economic reservation.
