The Jammu and Kashmir government has acknowledged that a cabinet sub-committee formed to address grievances regarding the current reservation policy has no set deadline for its report.
- Committee Formation:
- A three-member cabinet sub-committee, led by Minister Sakeena Itoo, was established in December 2024 to review reservation rules.
- The committee includes ministers Satish Sharma and Javed Rana.
- It will submit its findings to the council of ministers, headed by the Chief Minister.
- Lack of Timeline:
- Minister Itoo, in response to a question from legislator Sajad Gani Lone, confirmed that no specific timeframe has been given for the committee to complete its review.
- Reservation Concerns:
- Reservation policies have become a contentious issue in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly following the central government’s expansion of reserved categories and quotas.
- There is increasing objection to the central governments move to push the reservation quota to 70 percent in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Certificate Issuance:
- Since April 2023, the government has issued:
- 539,306 Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates (459,493 in Jammu, 79,813 in Kashmir).
- 67,112 Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates in the Jammu region.
- 27,420 Economically Weaker Section (EWS) certificates in the Jammu division.
- 2,273 EWS certificates in the Kashmir valley.
- Since April 2023, the government has issued:
- Regional Benefits:
- The Reserved Backward Area (RBA) category has benefited 1,379 villages in Jammu and 1,229 villages in Kashmir.
- The International Border category has benefited 551 villages in the Jammu zone.
- The Actual Line of Control (ALC) category has benefited 268 villages in Jammu and 16 villages in Kashmir.
