According to a Times of India report, the government told Parliament on Thursday that it is open to looking for new ways to provide reservation benefits to disadvantaged sections in proportion to their increasing population.
Referring to a suggestion made by BSP MP Veer Singh, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot said that his suggestion for population-proportionate reservation was a good one.
He has given good suggestion for reservation provision in proportion to the population of Scehduled Castes. Every political party must try for that and we also do consultations. If you can create an environment, we can find some way out.Thawar Chand Gehlot, Social Justice Minister
With the passage of the Constitution Order Bill, Parliament has cleared the extension of benefits to over two dozen castes.
Gehlot added that the population share of SC has increased to 16.8 percent. The minister’s statement is important in light of the recent agitation by Jats in Haryana, demanding reservation benefits for the community.
The minister also added that it was up to state governments to recognise the castes of migrants from other states and provide benefits to them. Gehlot also said the government was making efforts to release the caste census at the earliest.
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