Cabinet likely to take up creamy layer criteria issue

The Union Cabinet is expected to decide tomorrow on the revision of the criteria to distinguish the creamy layer from the Other Backward Caste (OBC) communities.
A proposal in this regard is expected to come up for discussion. The proposal says families with an annual income of Rs 6 lakh or more should be removed from the list of beneficiaries of the creamy layer, sources said here today.
The limit for income was decided in 2008 which says families with an annual income of Rs 4.5 lakh and above cannot be allowed the benefits.
According to the previous recommendation made by the OBC Commission, the ceiling was kept at Rs 12 lakh per annum for urban areas and Rs 9 lakh for rural areas.

Sources said this recommendation was not financially feasible as it would have reduced the number of people that comprise the creamy layer.
The Centre had appointed a Group of Ministers (GoM) to immediately resolve the issue. It was the GoM that resolved the matter and advised the Centre to fix the ceiling at Rs 6 lakh per annum.