Punjab cabinet approves setting up State General Category Commission for unreserved classes: Charanjit Singh Channi

CHANDIGARH: In an important move that comes ahead of the Assembly elections, the Charanjit Singh Channi government in Punjab has decided to set up a commission for the welfare of the general category.
The announcement was made by chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi himself.
"The Cabinet approved to set up Punjab State General Category Commission for unreserved classes. This Commission will safeguard interests of the unreserved classes besides effective implementation of various welfare schemes #LokaanDiSarkar," the chief minister tweeted.

Significantly, the decision has come at a time when Channi, the first Dalit chief minister of Punjab, is at the helm.
Punjab has the largest population in percentage terms of Dalits in the country. Dalits account for over 30 per cent of the population and an equally large section belongs to the general category.
The decision to set up the general commission was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Channi at Punjab Bhawan.
According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office, quoted by ANI, this commission would go a long way to safeguard the interests of the unreserved classes besides effective implementation of various welfare schemes for the benefit of the poor belonging to the category.
Notably, this decision has been taken by the Cabinet after acceding to the long-standing demand of employees belonging to general categories (unreserved classes) that their interests are not being protected and have requested the state government to constitute the General Category Commission on the pattern of Gujarat, in Punjab also.
(With Agency inputs.)