Cabinet approves 10 pc reservation provision for J-K

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker sections in general category and reservation in promotion to SC and STs in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Since Jammu & Kashmir is under the President's Rule, the Union Cabinet decided to approve the extension of the provision of reservation to the state," Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh told media persons.

He said, "This will help a certain section of society which belongs to lower economic strata and will benefit equally Jammu and Kashmir like other states."

"PM Modi government had introduced the provision of reservation in promotion for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. That too has been approved for Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

"It will enable Jammu and Kashmir to be beneficiaries of the same public welfare measures for the benefit of the weaker sections that PM Modi initiated for the rest of the country," he added.

Parliament recently passed the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019 to grant 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs to economically weaker individuals belonging to the general category, across religions.

The reservation is meant for individuals whose annual earning is below Rs 8 lakh and who possesses less than five acres of agriculture land.