Hyderabad, August 27: The Commission for Economically Backward Classes (CEBC), which was appointed by the Ministry of Social Justice, Government of India, would impress upon the Centre to implement fee reimbursement scheme for EBC students that was being implemented in AP in other states also. The Commission would submit its report to the Central Government within six months.
The commission was appointed in 2006 and the Central Government fixed the a deadline for submitting the report before March 2010.
The commission met Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and Governor ND Tiwari and several NGO representatives here today and interacted with the senior officials of the State Government.
The commission was all praise for the State Government’s fee reimbursement programme for EBC students in the State. The State Government was spending nearly Rs 360 crore which was likely to increase to Rs 500 crore this year.
All the states, barring Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, which were opposing the reservations to the EBCs in education and employment sectors should emulate Andhra Pradesh, the commission felt.
Addressing a press conference, the commission’s chairmen Maj.Gen (Retd) SR Sinha said that the Commission had already toured 22 states and sought their opinion on the EBC reservations issue.
Majority of the States were not willing to provide reservations but they want to take up several welfare programmes. All the State Governments have fulfilled reservations upto 50 per cent as fixed by the Supreme Court.
He said the commission would focus on education, employment welfare sectors and was proposing a quantum of reservations to the EBCs. To overcome the legal implications, necessary Constitutional amendments should be brought in, he said and added that the Government departments did not have EBC population statistics but the commission would suggest a parametre on the basis of the State Governments’ recommendations to recognise the EBCs in the country.
Commission member Narendra Kumar and secretary Mahendra Singh were also present.
–Agencies–