The National Scheduled Tribe Commission chairman Nand Kumar Sai on Thursday reviewed implementation of various social programmes meant for the welfare of the STs in the State and asked Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to increase the quota for STs in jobs and educational institutions from the present 3% to 7.5%.
The government has already constituted a panel headed by H.N. Nagmohan Das to look into the issue of increasing reservation for STs. There has been mounting political pressure to increase quota.
Mr. Sai, who spoke to the media after a meeting with officials of the Social Welfare Department, said the commission found vacancies of 50% posts reserved for STs in various departments. The commission also felt that several posts of teachers have remained vacant in schools located in tribal areas.
The commission chairman said STs constituted more than 7% of the State’s total population. Hence, there was a need to increase the quota for community members from existing 3% to 7.5% in educational institutions and jobs in the government sector. Members of the Valmiki community have also been demanding the same for the past one decade.
The commission has asked officials to ensure that the welfare schemes being implemented by the State and Union governments reached the eligible persons.
