TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Gomantak Bhandari Samaj (GBS) on Wednesday demanded 27 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in educational institutions and government service.
In a memorandum submitted to BJP State President Vinay Tendulkar, GBS has urged BJP to put up a case before State government to increase the reservation quota from existing 19.5 percent to 27%, considering the Supreme Court judgment over the matter in 2008.
“It is necessary and desirable to maintain permissible limit of 27 percent reservation in the State services and educational institutions to strike constitutional balance,” GBS President Anil Hoble said quoting the Apex Court verdict.
Hoble pointed out that until 2003, OBC enjoyed 27 per cent reservation as per Government of India guidelines. However, in 2004, the State government reduced the quota to 19.5 per cent. He also brought to the notice of the President that in most of the government departments, the OBC posts are not filled and as such these posts either remain vacant or are filled with general category candidates.
GBS has already submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Social Welfare Minister Mahadev Naik with their reservation demand and to revise the income limit (to determine creamy layer) to Rs 6 lakh.
Social Welfare Minister, during the Budget Session, earlier this year, had assured the Legislative Assembly to grant 27 per cent reservation to OBCs by end of this year.
