Andhra Pradesh

Rajasekhara Reddy moots quota in private sector

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has mooted a proposal to extend reservation for the socially and educational backward sections to the private sector in the State.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Dr. Reddy said he was thinking of introducing reservations for the deprived sections in the private sector on the lines of the Uttar Pradesh Government. He said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayavati’s offer of concessions to the private sector in stamp duty, trade tax and excise besides loan waiver for buying sick public sector units in exchange for 30 per reservation was welcome. The break-up of the 30 per cent quota proposed by her Government is 10 per cent Scheduled Castes (SCs), 10 per cent for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and minorities and 10 per cent for the economically backward upper castes.

Job opportunities in the Government sector were dwindling and it was time that governments turned their attention to the private sector where employment opportunities were growing by the day, he observed.

Dr. Reddy said the provision could at least attract those units that spring up using Government sops and concessions. “At least those industries which are benefited by the Government in various forms could be asked to implement the reservations”, he said.

The Chief Minister said the Uttar Pradesh proposal would be studied in-depth before adopting it. “The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre is also considering it. It would be for the good of the downtrodden that the governments take up the issue. We have already earmarked reservations for the Muslims on economic backwardness basis though BJP is opposing it. The latter, in fact, has gone in for an appeal against our decision.”

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu