PATNA: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said on Monday that the basis of providing reservation should be 'social and educational backwardness'.
Nitish said the Constitution makers have made provisions to provide quota only to the 'socially and educationally backward' people and not the economically backward ones.
Responding to a query at his weekly 'Lok- Samvad' programme in Patna, Nitish said there were several schemes like scholarship, students' credit card and free distribution of cycle and uniform among the students to take care of the economically weak students. Nitish said the Bihar government's scholarship and students' credit card scheme are universal and meant for even the members of upper castes.
Strongly favouring the provision of reservation in promotion to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) in the government jobs, Nitish said he and his party had always been in the favour of the provisions of reservation in promotion and implementation of quota in the private sector.
"We always supported the provision of reservations in promotion. We support LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan's demand for bringing a constitutional amendment for restoration of the provision of quota in promotion. In fact, we had introduced this provision for the SCs and STs in Bihar government jobs. We provided quota in promotion to SC and ST in the state services. But, our decision was challenged and struck down by the Patna high court. The matter is now being heard in the Supreme Court," Nitish, who is also the JD(U) national president, said.
On being asked that Paswan was planning to write to PM Narendra Modi for bringing in a constitutional amendment which could restore reservations in promotion in the wake of the conditions laid down by the Supreme Court in a judgement, the Bihar CM said, "If Paswan wants to take an initiative in this direction, we strongly welcome it. Paswan Ji should do something which can bring more clarity on the issue of reservation in promotion."
The chief minister further said he has also been supporting the demand of reservation in private sector which is providing more jobs.
On being asked about the criteria for providing quota in private sector, Nitish said, "It should be the same as in the government sector. The percentage of quota should be similar to the quota in government jobs."
Nitish said the Constitution makers have made provisions to provide quota only to the 'socially and educationally backward' people and not the economically backward ones.
Responding to a query at his weekly 'Lok- Samvad' programme in Patna, Nitish said there were several schemes like scholarship, students' credit card and free distribution of cycle and uniform among the students to take care of the economically weak students. Nitish said the Bihar government's scholarship and students' credit card scheme are universal and meant for even the members of upper castes.
Strongly favouring the provision of reservation in promotion to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) in the government jobs, Nitish said he and his party had always been in the favour of the provisions of reservation in promotion and implementation of quota in the private sector.
"We always supported the provision of reservations in promotion. We support LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan's demand for bringing a constitutional amendment for restoration of the provision of quota in promotion. In fact, we had introduced this provision for the SCs and STs in Bihar government jobs. We provided quota in promotion to SC and ST in the state services. But, our decision was challenged and struck down by the Patna high court. The matter is now being heard in the Supreme Court," Nitish, who is also the JD(U) national president, said.
On being asked that Paswan was planning to write to PM Narendra Modi for bringing in a constitutional amendment which could restore reservations in promotion in the wake of the conditions laid down by the Supreme Court in a judgement, the Bihar CM said, "If Paswan wants to take an initiative in this direction, we strongly welcome it. Paswan Ji should do something which can bring more clarity on the issue of reservation in promotion."
The chief minister further said he has also been supporting the demand of reservation in private sector which is providing more jobs.
On being asked about the criteria for providing quota in private sector, Nitish said, "It should be the same as in the government sector. The percentage of quota should be similar to the quota in government jobs."
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