The Jammu and Kashmir State Administrative Council has increased the income ceiling from Rs 4.50 lakh to Rs 8 lakh for people belonging to socially and economically backward classes to avail reservation benefits in employment and education, an official spokesman said.

The council, which met under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik here on Friday, approved raising the income ceiling for availing benefits under the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004.

Advisors to the governor, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai and Kewal Kumar Sharma, chief secretary BVR Subrahmanyam and principal secretary to the governor, Umang Narula, attended the meeting.

The income ceiling had been raised from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh in September, 2012, the spokesman said.

The objective of prescribing the income ceiling is to prevent people who have crossed the threshold level of backwardness, commonly known as 'creamy layer', from availing benefits of reservation.

The demand for raising the income ceiling had been repeatedly raised by the members of backward classes.

To examine the demand, a four-member committee was constituted by the government which recommended enhancement of the income ceiling from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh, the spokesman said.

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