New Delhi : The Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to include the Jat Community of nine states in the central list of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), to enable reservations for its members in central jobs.
States whose Jats will be treated as OBCs for the central jobs and admission in central education institutions are: Rajasthan (two districts), Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Bihar.
Accepting the recommendation of the Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, to give the OBC status to the Jats, the cabinet directed the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) to notify them as OBCs to avail the job reservation within 27 per cent quota for OBCs.
The GoM had made the recommendation early November, but its consideration was kept on hold in view of the model code of conduct in force because of the assembly elections, as it would have amounted to a poll sop.
In the past, the NCBC had resisted accepting Jats as a backward community and even passed a resolution in 2011, pointing out that they were a relatively well-off community, not deserving any reservation. Jats already enjoy reservation in state government jobs in several states, including Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
SUGAR BAILOUT: Meanwhile, the cabinet also approved a bailout package for the beleaguered sugar industry, that includes interest-free loans to the sugar mills by banks for farmers to clear out old cane stocks.
Cane-crushing usually starts in October, but was delayed this time until the GoM, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, agreed on the bailout package that was communicated to the industry. A formal cabinet approval was held up due to assembly elections.
