The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government is likely to bring a bill proposing an additional reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), in government jobs and educational institutions. The bill is likely to be placed before the House on Thursday.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar spoke in favour of increasing reservation while presenting the results of the Bihar caste survey report in the Assembly and Council this week.
At a special meeting held on Tuesday evening, the Bihar cabinet approved a proposal to increase the reservations in government jobs and educational institutions from the existing 60 per cent to 75 per cent.
What is the Bihar Quota Bill?
The Bihar Quota Bill proposes to increase the reservations in government jobs and educational institutions from the existing 60 per cent (including 10 per cent for economically weaker sections among the upper castes) to 75 per cent.
The reservation bill provisions for an 18 per cent quota for other backward classes (OBCs), 25 per cent for extremely backward classes (EBCs), 20 per cent for scheduled castes (SCs) and 2 per cent for scheduled tribes (STs).
As per the contents of the bill, the quota for EWS will remain at the existing 10 per cent.
Nitish Kumar also said that his government is planning to assist Rs 2 lakh each to these 94 lakh families for taking up some form of economically productive work
Bihar Caste Survey
According to the caste survey report tabled in the assembly by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, OBCs (27.13 per cent) and the extremely backward classes sub-group (36 per cent) accounted for a whopping 63 per cent of the state’s total of 13.07 crore, while SCs and STs together were slightly over 21 per cent.
The report further revealed state is home to about 2.97 crore families out of which more than 94 lakh (34.13 per cent) live on an income of Rs 6,000 or less a month, which translates to Rs 200 a day or less a month.
‘Good Step But….’: Is BJP Supporting Bihar Quota Bill?
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is Nitish Kumar’s former ally and now the opposition party in the state, extended support to the proposal terming it a good step initiated by the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
“BJP gave its full support to the increase in reservation limits in Bihar. The 16% reservation to SCs should be increased to 20%. We requested that the 1% reservation for the STs should be increased to 2%. BJP has always extended support to any party when it is for reservation,” said state BJP president Samrat Chowdhary told Hindustan Times.
The BJP, however, urged the chief minister to look into the concerns before passing the bill.
“As per the data, 45% Mushahars and 46% Bhuniyas are in the rich category, and he would only thank the CM. “But the reality is to be seen to be believed,” the publication quoted former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi as saying.
While speaking on the floor of the House on Tuesday, CM Kumar hoped that the Modi government would reconsider his request for a nationwide census.
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