HYDERABAD: The State Government's decision to approach the Centre for removal of the concept of creamy layer among Backward Classes was hailed by the National Commission for Backward Classes member B. Babu Rao Verma here on Wednesday.

Asked to comment on the decision, Mr. Verma said it was a step in the right direction taken in the interest of social justice, the analogy being there was no such creamy layer for other reserved categories of SCs and STs.

Many representations

He also welcomed the fixing of annual income ceiling of Rs. 4 lakhs for identifying the creamy layer among the Backward Classes to exclude them from the purview of reservations, keeping in view the Andhra Pradesh High Court orders.

He said there were several representations from Backward Class organisations and MPs for removal of the creamy layer concept. At the third conference of the National Commission, held on July 27 last year, the feelings of the Backward Classes against the creamy layer concept, was conveyed to the Central Government. The conference wanted the Centre to bring about Constitutional amendment, if necessary. It is also not out of place to mention that a parliamentary committee headed by Sudarshan Nachiappan, constituted to seek views on the draft bill for reservation in services for SC, ST and BCs, had suggested its removal, he said. Economic criterion was not justified under Article 16 (4) of the Constitution, as reservations to BCs were based on social and educational backwardness.

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