Andhra to provide 34 pc quota to backward classes in local bodies

Amaravati, Dec 23: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Monday announced that the government has decided to provide 34 per cent reservation to backward classes in local bodies.

He said the TDP-led NDA Government is committed to implementing 34 per cent reservation for BCs in nominated posts as promised. A law will also be enacted in this regard.

Naidu said a decision would soon be taken on making legislation. He promised that all the necessary measures would be taken to ensure that the 34 per cent quota for BCs would not face any legal issues. He asked officials to go ahead after a detailed study of the court judgments.

He alleged that the previous government reduced the quota for BCs from 34 per cent to 24 per cent in local bodies and as a result, they lost 16,500 posts.

Chairing a review meeting on the progress of the promises being implemented to the BCs that have been made during the electioneering, the Chief Minister on Monday directed the officials to do some more exercise to see to it that there will be no legal tangles or technical snarls will arise to the special law proposed for the safety and security of the BCs.

As promised during the recent Assembly elections, he said a special legislation will be brought for the safety of the community.

A ministerial committee, formed to study the feasibility of the move, recently submitted its preliminary report on this. During Monday's review meeting, the officials briefed the Chief Minister on this preliminary report after which he directed them to do some more exercise on this so that there will not be any legal tangles after the law is enacted.

Naidu alleged that because of the negligence adopted by the previous ruling dispensation, the BCs suffered heavily.

The Chief Minister gave clear instructions to the officers to undertake necessary repairs on a war footing basis to the girls’ hostels. He also directed the officials to clear the dues of diet bills which have been pending for a long time.

A total of Rs 110.52 crore of diet bills were pending during the previous government and after the TDP-led NDA came to power, bills worth Rs 76.38 crore were cleared. On Monday, the Chief Minister told the officers to clear the remaining bills too.