Hyderabad, November 04: The state Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Bill to amend the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Act, 1955, for the purpose of treating the creamy-layer of the backward classes (BCs) as part of BCs and making explicit the legislative intent of providing reservations to all sections of BCs for electoral offices, irrespective of their sub-castes. The proposed amendment will enable reservation to all BCs in the elective posts in the GHMC without reference to their inter-se-classification (sub-caste).
Speaking to mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting here today, minister for information and public relations J Geeta Reddy said that the GHMC Act, 1955, was amended by Act No 33 of 1986, introducing reservations to backward classes in electoral offices for the first time. The intention was to empower BCs as a whole to ensure that reservations in elected offices are made available to all the sections within the BCs irrespective of their inter-caste classifications or the advancement of the sections therein.
Geeta Reddy said that the Bill was prepared in accordance with the Supreme Court orders issued against a batch of writ petitions filed, contending that creamy layer sections among backward classes should be excluded to contest from the wards reserved for BCs and that reservation of wards for BCs should be done category-wise. The minister stated that further elections to all urban local bodies will be conducted on the basis of providing reservations to BCs without reference to their sub-castes.
The Cabinet also approved the Andhra Pradesh Micro Finance Institutions (Regulation of Money Lending) Bill, 2010 brought out for regulation of activities of MFIs. As per the Bill, operation of MFIs without registration is an offence punishable with imprisonment of upto three years or a fine upto Rs one lakh or both. The Bill will be introduced in the Assembly during this session. The ministers also cleared the draft bill for constitution of Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board which will be introduced in the Assembly.
Meanwhile, the officials of municipal administration and urban development and also the fire services departments have been directed to prepare fire safety guidelines for hospitals located in highrise buildings of 30 metres and above height. The last date of Land Regularisation Scheme (LRS) has been extended to December 31.
–Agencies