No plans for quota to economically weak in general category: Government

NEW DELHI: The government is not considering any proposal to provide reservation for general category people belonging to economically weaker sections, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

"At present, there is no proposal under consideration to provide reservation for economically weaker sections among general category people," Minister of State for Social Justice Krishan Pal Gurjar said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

The minister's reply assumes significance as earlier his colleague in the same ministry -- Ramdas Athawale -- had pitched for reservation to the poor belonging to general category.

Ramdas Athawale had said the reservation limit should be raised to 75 per cent from existing around 50 per cent, giving the additional 25 per cent quota to economically weak people of general castes.

However, the change should be made without tinkering with the current reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs, the RPI(A) chief had said.

At present, according to the Constitution, 15 per cent seats are reserved for SCs, 7.5 per cent for STs and 27 per cent for OBCs in central government-funded higher education institutions, jobs and even in elections.