Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramadas Athawale on Sunday said that there is a need to increase reservation cap beyond 50% to accommodate backward and poorer sections from all communities and a nation-wide caste census will help reach social, economic, and educational benefits to the needy.
“The Supreme Court has put a cap of 50% for the reservation matrix. However, to extend social justice to the downtrodden sections, reservation has to be increased. The issue has been discussed with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he told reporters here. Stating that a constitutional amendment is required to increase reservation, he said that the 102nd Amendment to the Constitution envisages power to provide reservation to the state government. “All these are under consideration.”
Mr. Athawale said that the poorer and backward sections of all communities should be eligible to seek benefits under reservation. “However, it is increasingly being noticed that the benefits are being cornered by those ineligible for the benefits. Economically stronger sections among the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have cornered the benefits. This has to be prevented.”
Pitching for a national caste census, the Minister said that it would enable to provide social and educational benefits to the needy and that he would urge the Prime Minister to conduct a nationwide caste census.
He also listed out the benefits extended to Karnataka by the Centre under several schemes between 2014 and 2021. While 1.52 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened in Karnataka, 2.96 crore people have got ₹1.47 lakh crore.
As many as 2.46 lakh houses have been built under Pradhan Matri Awas Yojana in urban area at a cost of ₹11,205 crore and 1.89 lakh houses have been built in rural areas at a cost of ₹1,369 crore.
Under the Ujjawala Yojana, 38.54 lakh LPG connections have been given in Karnataka. The Centre has paid ₹1,736 crore for treatment of 92.82 lakh people under Ayush Bharat yojana, he added.
Incidentally, Karnataka has conducted a socio-economic survey of castes, the first in India since 1931 at a cost of ₹162 crore. Though the report was ready in 2017, it is yet to be accepted by the State government.
