Athawale to discuss OBC 'creamy layer' limit with Modi

Republican Party of India (RPI) leader and Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday said there has been a consistent demand to raise the creamy-layer limit for OBC to Rs 10 lakh, and that he would discuss the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"There has been a consistent demand on this. I can raise the issue and discuss with Prime Minister Modi," Athawale told reporters outside Parliament.

At present the "creamy layer" income limit for Other Backward Classes (OBC) is Rs 6 lakh a year.

Athawale said the demand to raise the cap is genuine as the incomes of the people are increasing.

The hike, if brought in by the government, will bring more OBC people with higher income bracket within the reservation net.

The "creamy layer" is the group with income beyond the Rs 6 lakh a year ceiling, that excludes relatively wealthier and better educated members of the OBC from seeking reservation in government colleges, institutes and jobs.

The "creamy layer' criteria was defined as earning more than Rs 1 lakh per annum in 1993, and subsequently the limit was revised to Rs 2.5 lakh in 2004, Rs 4.5 lakh in 2008, and Rs 6 lakh in 2013.

However, in October 2015, the National Commission for Backward Classes recommended that for the OBCs an annual family income of up to Rs 15 lakh should not be considered as the "creamy layer".

--IANS

nd/lok/vt