The Rajasthan government has decided to convene a session of the state legislature to pass a bill providing for 14 percent reservation to the economically backward among the upper castes.
Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Wednesday announced job and education quota benefits for the economically backward category (EBC).
'Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to announce reservation to EBC,' Law Minister Ghanshyam Tiwari said.
'According to a decision taken by the cabinet today, the government proposes to bring a bill on reservation for the new category in the state assembly soon,' Tiwari told a press conference here.
'We are working out the parameters of economic backwardness,' he added.
Tiwari said legal opinion on the issue was being taken and different caste organisations were also invited to submit their representations on the matter.
He clarified that this reservation would only be available to those who at present are not entitled to any reservation in any category.
The Rajasthan government Wednesday offered a five percent special reservation to the Gujjar, Banjara, Gadia Lohar and Raika communities, bringing an end to a nearly month-old stand-off over the Gujjar community's demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes category.
While announcing the special reservation, the government has not tampered with the existing Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes (OBC) list.
So far, Rajasthan has had total quotas of 49 percent - 16 per cent for the Scheduled Castes, 12 per cent for the Scheduled Tribes and 21 percent for OBCs.
The newly announced quotas of five percent and 14 percent are apart from the existing reservation.
Thus, Rajasthan now has a total reservation of 68 percent, among the highest in the country.
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