Early Times Report
Srinagar, September 23- The Commission for Economically Backward Classes (CEBC) is on a 4 day visit to Jammu and Kashmir from 23rd to 26th September, 2009 to seek the views of the State government on the issue of reservation for economically backward classes, the criteria for their identification and the welfare measures required to improve the economic status of such classes.
The Commission comprising of its Chairman, Major General (Retd) S.R. Sinho, Member Secretary, Mr. Mahendra Singh, Joint Secretary, Mr. A.K. Srivastava had earlier visited the States of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Punjab, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Union Territory of Chandigarh. Senior Research officer, Mr. L.M. Dorlikar and consultant Mr. M.P. Aggarwal are also accompanying the Commission
During the visit, the commission would call on His Excellency, the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister and Minister for Social Welfare and would also hold detailed discussions with the Chief Secretary and other senior officers of the State. Besides, the Commission will also meet press, social activists and NGOs to know their valuable views on the subject.
The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has re-constituted the Commission for Economically Backward Classes in July 2006 to consider reservation in government jobs and education for the Economically Backward Classes, which are not covered under the existing reservation policy, without affecting the existing reservation available to the SC/ST/OBC. The Commission has also been entrusted to recommend the welfare measures for these classes, apart from looking into the constitutional, legal and administrative modalities that may come up in the way of reservation over and above the 50% of existing reservation quota.
The Commission has been mandated to consult the State Governments and Union Territories, district administration and field functionaries dealing with welfare measures, legal experts, voluntary organizations and social activists on the issue of providing reservation and welfare measures to the economically backward classes. The issue of providing reservation, if any, on the basis of economic backwardness is a new concept and a departure from the existing arrangement of reservation provided to the SC, ST and OBCs on the basis of social and educational backwardness.
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