Telangana Cabinet decides to go for ordinance for 42 percent BC reservations for local body polls

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said a job calendar for issuing notifications for 17,000 jobs was ready. This apart, the State government was planning to release notifications for another 22,000 jobs and ensure a total of one lakh jobs were provided before March.

Hyderabad: The State government has decided to conduct the local body elections with 42 percent reservations to the BC community and to this effect, the 2018 Panchayat Raj Act would also be amended through an ordinance.

These decisions were taken during the Cabinet meeting held here on Thursday.

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Briefing media persons, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said the State government had sent the 42 percent BC Reservations Bill to the Centre for approval. However, the Centre raised several queries and has been dragging it, he said.

The Advocate General was invited to the Cabinet meeting and measures to be initiated for ensuring there were no legal complications in holding the local body elections with 42 percent BC reservations were discussed at length, the Minister said.

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar appealed to all the political parties not to politicise the reservations issue. All the parties should extend their support in implementation of reservations and prove their commitment towards the community, he said.

The Minister also said a job calendar for issuing notifications for 17,000 jobs was ready. This apart, the State government was planning to release notifications for another 22,000 jobs and ensure a total of one lakh jobs were provided before March, he said.

Animal Husbandry Minister Vakiti Srihari said 82 crore fishlings ranging from 80 mm to 110 mm would be released in the water bodies shortly.

There were about 306 Goshalas in the State and they were being operated in limited areas with many cows. All the factors required for inclusion in preparation of a comprehensive policy for the operation and maintenance of goshalas were discussed in the Cabinet, he added.

It has also been decided to convene a Cabinet meeting every two weeks and accordingly the next meeting is scheduled on July 25. Similarly, every quarter, the Cabinet would review the decisions taken in the past meetings and their implementation and other aspects, he added.

The Minister further said the Cabinet approved upgrading Amity Educational Institutions and St. Mary Rehabilitation Institution as universities. Amity University would have to allot 50 percent seats to Telangana students, he said, adding that the Cabinet also decided to expedite the land acquisition for pending irrigation projects and complete the balance works at the earliest.