Gujarat carves out 10% quota for poor

Special Ordinance to be promulgated, earmarking the reservation on May 1; Patels rubbish the move terming it lollypop

The Gujarat government on Friday announced a 10 per cent quota for the economically backward among all non-reserved castes in the state in both jobs and education. An Ordinance will be promulgated on May 1.

Families whose annual income is up to Rs 6 lakh will benefit from this move.

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The benefits will be available to members of all upper caste communities, including Patidars, Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Lohanas. The move follows a protracted agitation for quotas by the Patidar community.

The decision was taken at a core team meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attended by party president Amit Shah. Commenting on the issue, the BJP’s Gujarat president Vijay Rupani said, “The government has decided to provide 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and education to the economically backward class from all non-reserved castes. We will issue an Ordinance on May 1.”

“We are ready for any legal battle over the 10 per cent quota. This will not affect the 49 per cent reservation for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes,” he added.

The government intends to implement the quota from the upcoming academic year.

Gujarat has followed in the footsteps of two other BJP-ruled states, Rajasthan and Haryana, which have announced special quotas for Gujjars and Jats, respectively.

The move is seen as an attempt to placate the politically influential Patidar community as Gujarat goes into Assembly elections next year. Patidars comprise 12-15 per cent of the state’s population and form a crucial support base for the BJP government. The community of traditional landowners is widely present in small and medium enterprises across the state.

The state government had made an attempt in September 2015 to woo the Patidars by announcing a Rs 1,000 crore package for the economically backward in higher education.