The Central government has said that no proposal has been received from Telangana government to enhance reservation for Scheduled Tribes to 12%.
Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Bishweswar Tudu said this in a written reply to Congress MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy asking whether there was any proposal from Telangana government to increase reservation for Scheduled Tribes from the existing percentage to 12%.
The development assumes significance as the Telangana Legislature has passed bill enhancing reservations for Muslims and STs to 12% and 10% respectively for admission into educational institutions and for the State services. The Bill was passed during a special session of the Legislature convened in April 2017.
Piloting the Bill, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said the Bill was proposed to address the concerns expressed over the inclusive development of marginalised population as their proportion had increased post-bifurcation. The population of STs for instance increased to 9.08% post-bifurcation as compared to 7.11% in the undivided State. The share of Muslims too had increased from 9.56% in the united AP to 12.68% after the formation of Telangana.
The government took the decision following studies conducted by commissions of inquiry headed by retired IAS officers G. Sudhir and S. Chellappa to examine special measures, including enhancement of reservation for socially and educationally backward classes/communities as also for SCs and STs for uplifting them from backwardness.
The Bill was sent for the President’s assent with a request to include it in the IX Schedule of the Constitution as was done in case of Tamil Nadu.
Coming in this background, the Minister’s reply buttresses the State government’s claim that the Centre had been ignoring Telangana in respect of even resolutions passed by the Assembly.
