Quota bill materialises PM's 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' principle: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the passage of the 124th Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha has materialised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's principle of "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas".

Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister and the central cabinet for taking a decision to give 10 per cent reservation to economically weak general category citizens, he said, "This Bill materialises Prime Minister's principle of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas'."

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a Constitution Amendment Bill to grant 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs to economically weak citizens belonging to the general category.

The reservation is meant for those with annual earning lower than Rs. 8 lakh and who possess less than 5 acres of agricultural land.

There were 323 votes in favour of the bill, and 3 against it.

If the bill is passed by the Rajya Sabha as well, the total percentage of the reservation will go up to 60, surpassing the 50 per cent ceiling prescribed by the Supreme Court.

The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in the House by Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot on Tuesday, a day after the Cabinet took the politically-significant decision, just a few months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.