Goa Government on 15 January 2014 decided to
increase the reservation of Other Backward Classes (OBC) from 19.5 percent to
27 percent. The announcement of the decision has been done by the Manohar
Parrikar, the Chief Minister of Goa after a State Cabinet Meet. The reservation
has been given for employment in the government sector and to take admissions
in the educational institutions. The decision of the state Cabinet would be
effective from the date of its notification in the state gazette.
The government has made the decision to
increase the reservation for OBCs following the elaborate survey of the OBCs
population in the state and recommendation from the OBC commission. The survey
showed about 3.84 lakh people in the OBC category divided in 19 castes of the
total population of 14 lakh as per the survey. The 19 castes of OBC also include
two castes from the Christian community. The OBC population accounts to 26.6
percent of the state population.
While determining the backwardness status
during the survey, the literacy, educational and income background along with
job profiles were taken into account. The state has also raised the condition
to define creamy layer to 6 lakh rupees from 4.5 lakh rupees, the creamy layer
OBCs has been excluded.
Apart from the reservation of OBCs, the state
has provided 12 percent reservations for the scheduled castes and 2 percent for
the scheduled tribes.
The increase in the reservation of OBCs
accounts to the total reservation of the state to 41 percent and this
percentage is below the limit of 50 percent set by the Supreme Court of India
that can fall under the reservation category.