New Delhi, June 26
With an eye on upcoming elections in tribal and backward castes dominated states by the year-end, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and the Cabinet today cleared a proposal to tap this “valuable” vote bank by including other backward classes (OBCs) in the backlog vacancy scheme that was originally meant for the SC/ST only. The proposal paves the way for a special drive to recruit people belonging to the OBCs for over 28,000 reserved posts in government departments.
With this the government decided to clear the backlog of vacancies through an official order. The backlog of vacancies on reserved posts were earlier filled through special recruitment drives for SCs and STs, but with today’s decision the scheme was now being extended to the OBCs. In addition, the government has earmarked additional funds for education to SC/ST girls in certain specified regions.
The backlog of vacancies to be filled will be treated as a separate and distinct group not subject to the limit of 50 per cent reservation in a year, said minister of state for PMO Prithviraj Chavan after the meeting.
The centrally sponsored scheme approved today includes incentive to girls for secondary education entailing a total expenditure of Rs 1,500 crore during the 11th plan.
The scheme to be made operative from 2008-09 would help promote the enrolment of SC/ST girls in secondary schools and reduce dropout rate at secondary and higher secondary stages.
The minister said in a Supreme Court order in 1997 it was ruled that the quota of reserved seats could not exceed 50 per cent of the total seats being filled.
However, Parliament through the 81st amendment to the Constitution had made an exception to this principle enabling the government to fill accumulated vacancies from previous years through special recruitment drives for SCs and STs, this scheme was now being extended to OBCs, the minister said.
The CCEA has decided to provide 100 per cent central assistance to state governments and union territories besides central and other universities for construction and extension of hostels for ST girls.
However, in Union Territories and Naxal affected states, certain specified districts would be eligible for 100 per cent central assistance, adding that central universities would be eligible for 90 per cent financial assistance.
The scheme was expected to increase the literacy rate of ST students, including those belonging to primitive tribal groups, the minister said.
The CCEA has also decided to continue the scheme to provide grant in aid to voluntary organisations working for the welfare of
STs.
