THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : There would be a 10 percent reservation quota for economically backward people belonging to the upper castes. Govt on Thursday issued orders stating parameters for eligibility into the bracket :
To be a beneficiary under this new category, the annual income of one’s family can go up to a maximum of Rs 4 lakh. Applicants should not belong to scheduled caste, tribe or any other backward community already under reservation. If located in panchayat limits, one’s ancestral property should not exceed 2.5 acres, in Municipality not more than 75 cents or not more than 50 cents in Corporation limits. The aggregate size of one’s family property lying in panchayats, municipal and corporation limits together shall not exceed 2.5 acres. If the land is located only in Municipal and Corporation limits, the total shall not exceed 75 cents. Lands owned outside the State too shall be accounted for to arrive at one’s family property size total. The plot on which one’s family home is premised, shall not exceed 20 cents if in Municipal limits and 15 if under Corporation.
If the family owns more than one house, the plot size of each house shall be taken into account to arrive at the total land area. In case there exist multiple family homes and are located within Municipal and Corporation limits only, the aggregate measure of all plots shall not exceed 20 cents.
Members of family listed under Antodaya Anna Yojna are automatically eligible for the reservation, notwithstanding any aforesaid parameters. They are required to submit a village office certificate based on their Antodaya Ration card and an income certificate based on aggregate income in the previous financial year. Additionally, the applicant is required list details of family property in form of an affidavit in the concerned application.
If a claim of being ‘economically backward’ is found to be false or faked, the individual’s employment/educational course shall be terminated without further explanation.
Economically backward status in the General category shall be reviewed every three years. All educational institutions, except those with minority status, that have reservations for the backward class, shall now on provide fan added 10 percent reservation for the economically backward members in this new upper caste category. Each govt department should ensure such provision is made for and issue required notification for the same. The prospectus and application forms at educational institutions shall be modified suitably in context of the new reservation.
To handle complaints pertaining to the new reservation, a grievance redressal cell shall be set up at department level or at directorates. Alternatively an official shall be appointed for the purpose. Report on each complaint resolved, shall be submitted to the Department of Public Administration. Report on vacant posts in the economically backward category shall be made available to all Departments, Public Sector Units and the Department of Public Administration. Vacancy estimates for next six months too shall be reported. A Monitoring Cell shall be set up to ensure effective implementation of the new reservation.
To introduce the Economically Backward reservations into government employment, suitable amendments shall be made in the Kerala State And Subordinate Service Rules followed by its public notification. To do this, at first, the Planning and Finance dept shall issue orders asking to carry out needful amendments.
