The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Reservations sought for SCs, STs in private sector

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Reservations sought for SCs, STs in private sector

By Our Special Correspondent

RAJAHMUNDRY, AUG. 8. Four members of Parliament, Madhu Goud (Nizamabad), Vundavilli Arun Kumar (Rajahmundry), and G. V. Harsha Kumar (Amalapuram) from the Congress, and M. Babu Rao (Bhadrachalam) from the CPI (M), said that they favoured reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the private sector.

The MPs were speaking at a seminar on the `Dalit agenda in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government's Common Minimum Programme' organised by the Telugu newspaper, Vedika, here on Sunday.

`Identify creamy layer'

Mr. Arun Kumar wanted a discussion on the identification of the "creamy layer" among SCs and STs, so that the benefits of schemes and reservations would not be cornered. He called upon the community to make certain "sacrifices."

Dr. Babu Rao admitted that only about two per cent of SCs and STs had benefited from different schemes, with the rest still suffering discrimination. He said land reforms were connected intimately to development, and the domination of the upper caste on lands continued. "This must stop," he said.

Mr. Arun Kumar said the reservations to SCs and STs had attracted "jealously" from a section of people, as only a small percentage of SCs and STs had been enjoying the benefits. In this case, as was done in the case of BCs, there was a need to identify the creamy layer, he said.

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