NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra cabinet has decided to request the central government to raise the income limit for the ' non-creamy layer ' category to Rs 15 lakh per annum from the current Rs 8 lakh. This decision came ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, likely to be held next month.
Months before the Haryana polls, CM Nayab Singh Saini had also implemented a similar move and increased annual income limit for creamy layer from ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh. Poll experts have opined that the move was crucial in helping the BJP get the SC and OBC vote in the recently concluded Haryana polls in which the party won 48 seats.
The cabinet also approved a draft ordinance to grant constitutional status to the Maharashtra state scheduled caste commission , which will be presented in the next legislative session. The commission will have 27 approved posts.
A non-creamy layer certificate, stating that the family income of a person is below the prescribed limit, is needed to get reservation benefits in the OBC category.
By raising the income cap, more individuals from the OBC community can qualify for reservation benefits and government schemes. This is crucial as many families, particularly those with government employees whose salaries have risen due to the Seventh Pay Commission, find themselves just above the current limit and thus ineligible for these benefits.
The BJP's earlier losses among OBC voters were attributed to the inclusion of Marathas in the OBC quota, which diluted their traditional support base. The proposed increase aims to address this disenfranchisement and restore confidence among OBC voters that their interests are being prioritized by the government.
As Maharashtra approaches assembly elections, this move is seen as a corrective measure to win back OBC votes. The government has indicated that discussions with the Union government will occur swiftly to implement this change, signaling urgency in addressing voter concerns.
The BJP's recent success in Haryana, where a similar strategy helped them secure a significant number of SC and OBC votes, serves as a model for Maharashtra.
Months before the Haryana polls, CM Nayab Singh Saini had also implemented a similar move and increased annual income limit for creamy layer from ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh. Poll experts have opined that the move was crucial in helping the BJP get the SC and OBC vote in the recently concluded Haryana polls in which the party won 48 seats.
The cabinet also approved a draft ordinance to grant constitutional status to the Maharashtra state scheduled caste commission , which will be presented in the next legislative session. The commission will have 27 approved posts.
A non-creamy layer certificate, stating that the family income of a person is below the prescribed limit, is needed to get reservation benefits in the OBC category.
By raising the income cap, more individuals from the OBC community can qualify for reservation benefits and government schemes. This is crucial as many families, particularly those with government employees whose salaries have risen due to the Seventh Pay Commission, find themselves just above the current limit and thus ineligible for these benefits.
The BJP's earlier losses among OBC voters were attributed to the inclusion of Marathas in the OBC quota, which diluted their traditional support base. The proposed increase aims to address this disenfranchisement and restore confidence among OBC voters that their interests are being prioritized by the government.
As Maharashtra approaches assembly elections, this move is seen as a corrective measure to win back OBC votes. The government has indicated that discussions with the Union government will occur swiftly to implement this change, signaling urgency in addressing voter concerns.
The BJP's recent success in Haryana, where a similar strategy helped them secure a significant number of SC and OBC votes, serves as a model for Maharashtra.
