New Delhi, June 5
The Union Cabinet today approved the decision to include additional castes and communities in the Central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) for matters pertaining to reservation in eight states and Union Territories.

Briefing newspersons after the Cabinet meeting, an official spokesperson said the new entries in the list would be effective in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Orissa, Rajasthan, and West Bengal and the Union Territories of Delhi and Chandigarh.

The Cabinet decision to include more castes in the list of backward classes follows the recommendation of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NBC).

The spokesperson said that the Yadav/Ahir community has been included in the list in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. In Haryana and Karnataka, the Lodhi and Gouda/Gowda ( rural areas only) communities have been included in the list.

In Delhi four communities — Julaha-Ansari ( excluding those in SCs), Idrishi, Naddaf-Mansoori, and Salmani— have been included in the list.

In Rajasthan, the Silawat community ( except Sompura Murtikar) has been included, while in Andhra Pradesh, the Turupu Kapu community of Vizianagaram has been included in the list.

In Orissa, the Gop (Sadgop and Dumal Gouda), the Rangani ( Tanti/Rangani, Tantee/Ranganee, Tantee/Rangini and Tati/Ranguni Tanti), the Pandara Mali (Muni), the Raula (Raula in Ganjam district only ) and Kalal (Kalar) communities have been included in the list of backward classes.

In West Bengal, the Nashya Sekh and Shershabdia communities have been included.