Maharashtra Cabinet approves 10% quota for economically weaker sections of General category

New Delhi, Feb 04: Maharashtra Cabinet on Monday approved 10% reservation in education and employment opportunities for economically weaker sections.

Earlier in November, the Maharashtra state Assembly had unanimously passed a Bill proposing 16 per cent reservation under Socially and Educationally Backward Class of citizens (SEBC) category. This decision paved way for reservation to Marathas in the state.

Maharashtra has now become the seventh state in India to give reservation to weaker sections of general category. Earlier on February 1, the Bihar cabinet passed the bill to implement the 10 percent reservation given by the Central government to the economically weaker section in the general category.

Apart from Maharashtra, other states including Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Assam have approved the bill to implement the reservation.

On January 7, the Union Cabinet had approved a 10 percent reservation for economically backward upper castes in government jobs. The move has been aimed to benefit those whose family income is under Rs 8 lakh per annum. According to reports, the 10 per cent reservation will be available to those who meet a certain standard qualifying them as economically backward.