SAC approves draft amendments in JKR Act-2014 to facilitate reservation for people living along IB

The Jammu and Kashmir administration Thursday approved the draft amendments in the 'Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act-2014' for extending the benefits of reservation to persons residing in the areas along the International Border (IB).

The IB covers a population of around 3 lakh spread over 350 villages in this division.

The draft amendments in the act were approved by the State Administrative Council (SAC) under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik.

The amendment shall meet the long-standing demand of the people residing in the areas adjoining IB for their overall socio-economic and educational development, an official spokesman said.

The said demand was examined in consultation with the J&K State Commission for Backward Classes and it was felt that persons residing in the areas adjoining IB are similarly situated as the persons residing in the areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control (ALC) so far as their socio-economic backwardness is concerned and thereby qualify for inclusion within the ambit of reservation at par with persons living in areas adjoining Line of Actual Control, he said.

However, as per the recommendations of the J&K State Commission for Backward Classes, the areas falling within six kilometres from the IB shall be covered within the meaning of reservation.

List of such villages shall be notified while framing rules once the ordinance is promulgated, the spokesman said.

As per the existing reservation rules, three per cent reservation is admissible to people residing along the LoC in direct recruitment.

Reservation of three per cent is also available to the people residing along the ALC in professional institutions, he said.

With this amendment, the ALC and the IB will be considered as one category for purposes of seeking reservation in direct recruitment and in promotions, the spokesman added.

He said this will benefit a large number of people residing in the areas adjoining IB to reap the benefits of reservation like other categories.

Following the approval of the proposal by the SAC on Thursday, the Social Welfare Department will process the draft amendment for further consideration of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for promulgation of the ordinance by the competent authority, he said.