Sonia, PM striving for reservation in pvt sector: AP CM

Vijayawada, Feb 10 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were striving for bringing reservation for dalits in the private sector, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy said today.

Addressing a public meeting at Swaraj Maidan here, he said it was high time to bring in reservation for the Dalits in the private sector.

Dr Reddy said the government had issued an order classifying SCs into A, B, C and D categories based on the recommendations of the Ramachandra Rao Commission in 1997.

After the apex court striking down the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservation) Act, 2000 pertaining to sub-categorisation of SCs, the Centre had announced setting up of a National Commission to examine the Constitutional and legal ramifications of the demand for sub-categorisation of the SCs.

Dr Reddy said the government would await the Commission's decision.

He said during the two-and-half year tenure, the state government had distributed 5.40 lakh acres of assigned land to about four lakh poor and Dalit families.

Under ''Bhoo Yagnam'', started by the state government, land would be distributed to the Dalits by taking from the 'rich persons', he added.

UNI