Government 'backtracking' on reservation promises: BJP

New Delhi, Feb 12 (UNI) The BJP today sought to embarrass the UPA government over inadequate funds to provide infrastructure to Central Universities, IITs and IIMs besides promising to create 54 per cent additional seats to accommodate 27 per cent reservation for the students of other backward classes during the next three years.

BJP Spokesman Prakash Javadekar said the allocations by the Planning Commission for improving infrastructure in these institutions has been a mere Rs 1500 odd crore as against a promise of Rs 17,000 crore in three years to provide 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs. If the government was serious on implementing its promises, it should have at least provided money in the range of Rs 5,500 crore, he said.

He said the fund pattern in the first two years to these institutions is important as it would reflect the keenness of the government in living upto its promises made to the people and the Supreme Court. ''With such meager fundings, one can't take the government's intentions seriously,'' he said.

This was true with regard to the promises on National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme also where the government had promised to extend the scheme to another 200 districts. ''The inadequate fundings show that the government is 'backtracking' on its promises and the BJP wanted the people to be alert of the government's intentions,'' he remarked.

UNI