Kamal Nath Govt Approves 10% Quota for MP's Upper Caste Poor, Agrees to Widen Metro Link in Bhopal & Indore​

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday approved 10 percent reservation to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in jobs and education, ending long wait for implementation of the scheme which was introduced by previous NDA-led government.

The state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Kamal Nath approved the proposal, said Public Relations minister PC Sharma.

To be eligible for this quota, the candidate’s family should not exceed income of Rs 8 lakh annually and the family should not own more than five acres of agricultural land or have house measuring 1200 sq ft in municipal limits, 1500 sq ft in municipality area and 1800 sq ft in nagar panchayat area, Sharma told reporters.

Ahead of Lok Sabha elections, the Union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January cleared 10 percent quota in education and government jobs for EWS in general categories.

Soon after the previous Modi government announced the EWS reservation, several states, including MP, had decided to study the relevant provisions further and did not announce the benefits straightaway. The BJP had flayed the Kamal Nath government for holding back EWS benefits for long.

The cabinet meeting also approved tripartite agreement for development of metro rail link in Bhopal and Indore.

“The metro project in Bhopal would cost Rs 6900 crore, while Rs 7,500 crore has been set aside for Indore,” Minister for Urban Administration and Development (UAD) Jaivardhan Singh said. The state and Centre would bear 20 percent cost each, while the remaining 60 percent funds would be raised through loans, he said, adding the metro lines are expected to start by 2023.

After the cabinet meeting, excise minister Brijenrda Rathore told the media about alterations in bar licence rules and said anyone applying for bar licence should have at least 1500 sq ft place. The Bar premises should have at least 25 rooms of 150 sq ft each and 15 of these rooms should be air-conditioned.

Rathore said several defunct yet illegally operational bars would be legalised to hike government revenues, and also to crack the whip on certain elements that are making big money through these illegal units.