Cabinet nod for spl drive to recruit OBCs against backlog

NEW DELHI, Jun 26 (Agencies): Paving the way for a special drive to recruit Other Backward Classes (OBCs) for over 28,000 reserved posts, the government today decided to clear the backlog of vacancies through an official order.

The backlog will be treated as a "separate and distinct" group not subject to the limit of 50 per cent reservation in a year, Minister of State for PMO Prithviraj Chavan told reporters after a meeting of the Union Cabinet.

He said the Cabinet also approved a slew of measures to benefit Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students.

On the OBC proposal mooted by the Department of Personnel and Training and approved by the Cabinet, Chavan said instructions would be issued to pave the way for conducting Special Recruitment Drive for filling up the backlog of 28,670 reserved vacancies of OBCs.

He said a 1997 Supreme Court order had stated that the quota of reserved seats cannot exceed 50 per cent of the total seats being filled.

However, Parliament through the 81st amendment to the Constitution had made an exception to this principle enabling the government to fill accumulated vacancies from previous years through special recruitment drives for SCs and STs.

This is now being extended to OBCs, the minister said.

Chavan said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved implementation of the centrally sponsored scheme for incentive to girls for secondary education at a total expenditure of Rs 1,500 crore during the 11th Plan.

The scheme, to be made operative from 2008-09, would help in promoting enrolment of SC/ST girls in secondary schools and reducing drop out of SC/ST girls at secondary and higher secondary stages.

Chavan said the CCEA decided to provide 100 per cent central assistance to state governments and union territories besides central and other universities for construction and extension of hostels for ST girls.

For construction and extension of hostels for ST boys, the state governments will be eligible to receive central assistance on a 50:50 matching basis, he said.

However, in UTs and Naxal affected states, specified districts would be eligible for 100 per cent central assistance, the minister said adding that central universities would be eligible for 90 per cent financial assistance.

The scheme is expected to increase the literacy rate of ST students, including those belonging to Primitive Tribal Groups, he said.

The CCEA also decided to continue the scheme to provide grant in aid to voluntary organisations working for the welfare of STs.

The prime objective of the scheme is to enhance the reach of welfare schemes of government and fill the gaps in service deficient tribal areas in sectors like education, health, drinking water, agro-horticultural productivity and social security net.

The scheme aimed at providing an environment for socio-economic uplift and overall development of the STs, he added.

Army, Air Force accuses WB govt of underusing them for relief KOLKATA, JUN 26 (Agencies): The Army and the Air Force today alleged that the West Bengal government is not properly utilising their services for relief and rescue in the flood-hit East and West Midnapore districts and said the Orissa government was doing a better job.

"We are disappointed at the unprofessional attitude of the West Bengal government.

It could have been better.

This is quite in contrast with the attitude of the Orissa government," sources in the services told PTI.

Stating that the Army began relief and rescue operations in West and East Midnapore district on June 17 and the Air Force from June 18, the sources said that till date, the Army had rescued 785 people and the Air Force more than 300 from the two districts with speed boats.

The Air Force has dropped about 60 tonnes of food and other relief material, besides rescuing more than 300 people with the help of speed boats in the two districts, they said.

In Orissa, the Army began relief and rescue operations from the evening of June 17, while the Air Force was called out in the state from June 19.

"Till date, more than 110 tonnes of material were airdropped in Orissa.

There, everytime a helicopter landed after a sortie, rows of vehicles would be waiting to replenish relief material.

In West Bengal, it is the opposite," the sources said.