Farmers Movement Archive

Telangana to have 10% EWS quota for upper castes, says CM K Chandrasekhar Rao

HYDERABAD: Two years after the Centre had announced 10% reservation to economically weaker sections (EWS) in the government educational institutions and recruitments, Telangana government has decided to implement it in state institutions and jobs. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday said that a high-level meeting would be convened in the next two to three days to discuss the issue and orders would be issued. With the 10% EWS quota, reservations for various categories in the state will go up to 60%. The state government has already been implementing 50% quota for SCs, STs, BCs and Muslims under the BC category. “There is a need to implement 10% reservation in jobs and educational institutions to the economically weaker classes. We have decided to implement 10% EWS reservation while continuing the quota to those who have already been enjoying the benefit as it is,” KCR said. The announcement came after some upper caste communities including Brahmins, Velamas, Kammas and Reddys set a deadline of January 30, failing which they had threatened to launch an agitation. The TRS government’s latest decision comes close on the heels of it deciding to implement Ayushman Bharat, Centre’s health scheme, by linking it with the state’s Aarogyasri scheme. The state government had steadfastly refused to implement the central scheme on the grounds that the state government’s scheme was way better than Ayushman Bharat. Besides, the government had already made a climbdown on the Centre’s farm laws by announcing that it would do away with regulated farming and winding up purchase centres in the villages. The CM is likely to take a call on how to implement 60% quota as there is a cap of 50% fixed by the Supreme Court. Some states such as Tamil Nadu have been implementing 69% quota by way of a constitutional amendment. Telangana state assembly had passed resolutions for enhancement of reservation to 10% from 6% for STs and 12% to Mulsims from 4% but the proposal is pending with the Centre. Official sources said since admissions into various courses such as engineering, medical and other professional courses are over, those with EWS quota waiting to get into government’s jobs are likely to benefit. The government has announced recruitment of posts vacant in various government departments. Telangana Brahmin Samkshema Parishad member MVR Sharma has welcomed the CM’s decision. “Though it was delayed, the EWS quota will help many poor people in upper castes, especially Brahmins,” he told TOI. EWS Federation chairman Malladi Pavan while welcoming the government’s decision, however, said they would continue their fight till a GO is issued. “The TRS government has promised a lot for teachers and employees, but many of them have not been fulfilled,” he said. He said they are planning to hold a public meeting in Warangal on January 31. “The agitation has been going on for the last two months. We will withdraw it the moment the government issues an order on EWS quota,” he told TOI.

The Times of India

2021-01-22

Hyderabad