india

Updated: Aug 15, 2019 15:09 IST

The Congress-led Chhattisgarh government on Thursday announced it will increase reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other backward Classes (OBC) in education and jobs.

OBCs were getting 14% and SCs were provided 12% reservation while Scheduled Tribes had 32% quota in educational institutions and government jobs till now.

“Now, a 27% reservation will be provided to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 13% to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 32% to the Scheduled Tribes (STs),” chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said while speaking during an Independence Day event in Raipur.

Political commentators believe the increase in the reservation for SC and OBC will help Baghel boost his narrative of ‘regional politics’ in the state.

“To fight the nationalistic slogan of the BJP, Baghel has started regional politics and Chhattisgarh pride politics. This increase of reservation will help to consolidate the narrative of regional politics,” Chhattisgarh-based political commentator Ashok Tomar said.

Baghel also announced that an elephant reserve would be set in the state.

“The state has witnessed the loss of life and property due to the movement of elephants. One of the key reasons for the menace is that elephants are facing threats to their habitat. In view of this, we will set up the ‘Lemru Elephant Reserve’,” he said.

The chief minister also talked about the creation of a new district -- Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi -- out of Bilaspur, which has taken the total number of districts in the state to 28.

The government, he said, will also launch a ‘Suposhan Abhiyan’, to fight malnutrition, across the state on October 2.

The CM also said assistance of Rs 10,000 per month will be provided to ‘gowthan’ (cow shelter) committees to provide an honorarium to herdsman and other facilities at the cow shelters.