Chandigarh
The Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes has given its recommendations through a written a letter to the Punjab Government for refixtion of reservation percentage for the Scheduled Castes in the state according to the population of the state.
Disclosing this here today Mrs. Tejinder Kaur, Chairperson Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes said that in past also percentage of reservation was increased time to time in state after assessing the proportion of the population of SC people in state, which was done in pursuance of the Articles 16 (4) and 16 (4) A of the Constitution of India .
She said that Punjab Government had given 15% reservation for Scheduled Castes in the state on 19-10-1949 which was increased to 19% on 19-08-1952 and 20% on 7-09-1963. She said that last time on 6-6-1974 the reservation was increased from 20% to 25% and at the same time the reservation in promotion was fixed 20% for class 3 and 4 and 14% for class 1 and 2.
Ms. Tejinder Kaur said that reservation has not been reviewed for last 47 years which tantamount to injustice to Scheduled Castes. She further said that as per 2011 census, the population of Scheduled Castes people in the state has gone up to 31.94 per cent so in the year 2011 the reservation quota for Scheduled Castes had to be increased to 32 per cent.The Chairperson said that in the census to be held in 2021, the population of Scheduled Castes is likely to be 36 per cent in the state. The Commission has also written to the Committee for the Welfare of Scheduled Castes of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to review the matter by sending a copy of the letter.
