Jaipur: The Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday passed separate Bills providing five per cent reservation to Gujjars and other communities under Special Backward Classes (SBC) and 14 per cent to Economically Backward Classes (EBC) of unreserved categories.
The House also passed resolutions requesting the state government to make efforts to get the Bills — Rajasthan Special Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutes in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services under the State) Bill 2015 and Rajasthan Economically Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutes in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services under the State) Bill 2015 — included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
Five communities -- Banjara/Baldiya/Labana, Gadiya Lohar/Gadoliya, Gujar/Gurjar, Raika/Rebari/Debasi and Gadariya/Gadri/Gayari -- have been included in the Bill for 5 per cent quota under SBC.
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With the passing of the Bills, the State exceeds the 50 per cent limit of reservation laid down by the Supreme Court as the reservation under Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBC categories remains unchanged.
Vasundhara Raje-led previous BJP government had in 2008 passed a Bill providing 5 per cent reservation to SBC and 14 per cent to EBC but it was stayed by the High Court. This time the government decided to bring in separate Bills for both the categories.
“The state government will also make full efforts to get the Bills included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution,” Home Minister Gulab hand Kataria said in the House.
He said that in the opinion of the state government, the Bills were necessary for “uplift and advancement” of backward communities and financially weaker sections of unreserved categories.
He said certain backward classes needed special treatment so that they can improve their condition and therefore, the state government decided to provide them five per cent quota under SBC.
A large percentage of the state's population that suffered due to social and educational backwardness for many years has started enjoying the fruits of the reservation policy and has been able to improve its standard, whereas the poorest classes of unreserved categories are unable to compete with other affluent classes, he said.
The House also passed two proposals moved by the Home Minister to get the Bills included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
Also Read: 5 percent job quota to Gujjars unlikely, hints Rajasthan Government
Other Bills
Also, two other Bills — Rajasthan Laws Repealing Bill 2015 and Rajasthan Indian Medicines (Amendment) Bill 2015 -- were passed by the House.
The Rajasthan Law Repealing Bill seeks to repeal 248 principal acts and amending acts which the government considers as incoherent and redundant.
The House also passed the Rajasthan Appropriation Bill (No.5) 2015, granting over Rs 3,211 crore for defraying charges up to March 31, 2016.
The Congress members were in the Well of the House demanding Ms Raje's resignation over the Lalit Modi controversy and shouting slogans against her when the business was going on.
Before the Bills were passed, Mr Kataria, who is also Disaster Management and Relief Minister, replied to a brief debate on the situation of drought in the state.
He said the state received more than normal rainfall but a gap after August 15 caused damage to crops.
He said the state government ordered to prepare a report to assess the losses incurred by farmers and it will be submitted by October 15.
After the assessment report, affected farmers will be compensated, he said.
The Minister said that barring a few districts, enough water is available for drinking purpose.
Energy Minister Pushpendra Singh also made a statement on power situation and said that pending agriculture connections to farmers will be released before November 15.
Earlier in the day, the Assembly was adjourned during the Question hour after the House witnessed unruly scenes during the of Transport Minister Yunus Khan whose comments irked Independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal.
