Bihar to seek inclusion of quota policy in IXth Schedule

A day after notifying the enhanced quota for reserved categories in government jobs and admissions in educational institutions, the Bihar state cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal to forward the recommendations to the Centre for including amended reservation acts in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, said additional chief secretary, cabinet, S Siddharth.

“This is part of the proposals which the state cabinet, chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar, discussed and approved in consultation with his cabinet colleagues on Wednesday. A total of 40 agenda, including two impromptu proposals, were discussed and given assent to by the cabinet,” said Siddharth, adding that one of the impromptu proposals sought to reiterate the demand for special state’s status to Bihar to address the concerns of financial disparities that were found during the recently conducted caste-based enumeration.

Detailing the reasons for inclusion of increased quota for the deprived sections in the Ninth Schedule, Siddharth clarified that the acts, which increased reservations to 65% in jobs and admissions, would enjoy immunity for judicial review if they are included in the specified schedule.

Another senior officer said that any kind of legislation, seeking to hike reservation beyond 50% bar is subject to judicial review unless granted immunity through the constitutional amendment. “Currently, the state of Tamil Nadu has 69% reservation and nobody is able to challenge its provision as the same has been included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution,” he added.

The cabinet ministers also unanimously resolved to rake up the demand for special status to the central government yet again to address the outcomes of the caste-based economic survey, which found about 94 lakh families across all castes below the poverty line (BPL). As a follow up action to the survey, the state government has decided to dole out a sum of ₹2 lakh to one of the family members in instalments for jobs, ₹1 lakh each to 63,850 homeless and landless families for purchase of land and ₹1.20 lakh for construction of house, ₹1.20 lakh to each of 39 lakh families living in huts and ₹2 lakh to each of the extremely poor families for continuos livelihoods scheme.

Siddharth said that all the schemes, mulled to address the economic disparities highlighted by the caste-based enumeration would cost around ₹2.50 lakh crore. “The state government has been demanding special status since 2010 and the last formal demand was made in 2017, but there is no response from the Centre on it. The then central government had set up Raghuram Rajan committee on Bihar’s demand for special status in 2013. The committee had submitted its report, yet the central government did not take any action with regard to Bihar’s demand,” said the ACS.

DA hike to employees, pensioners approved

The cabinet approved 4% increase in dearness allowance to the employees and pensioners of the state government with effect from July 1. Staff and pensioners, who together account for nearly 10 lakh, will be getting 46% DA in place of prevalent 42%. The state government will incur an annual cost of ₹966 crore for payment of additional DA.

Bihar logistics policy approved

The state cabinet also approved the draft of Bihar logistics policy 2023, which was proposed by the state industries department. The policy envisages various kinds of incentives and capital subsidy to the investors in building logistics parks, multi-modal logistics park and other associated installations.

₹1,810-cr plan approved for Kajra solar plant

The cabinet gave its assent to the energy department’s investment proposal for setting up 185MW solar power project at Lakhisarai’s Kajra. The project will also have battery-based energy storage facility for 253.85KWh capacity. The proposal, entailing an investment of ₹1,810.34 crore, seeks to arrange 80% of the investment as loan from financial institution on the government’s guarantee, while rest of the amount ( ₹362.07 crore) would be arranged from the state’s internal resources. Bihar State Power Generation Company Limited (BSPGCL) will execute the project.