Social justice: YSRC MPs describe Jagan as role model

Vijayawada: YSR Congress MPs have described Chief Minister Jagan Reddy as a role model to the nation, vis-à-vis his massive efforts at ensuring social justice in the past over three years of his governance of AP.

Jagan brought in 10 BCs as ministers in his cabinet and also giving more nominated posts like RS seats to the BC communities, they said.

The MPs including R. Krishnaiah, MV Ramana, Margani Bharat,  Venkata Satyavati and Talati Rangiah told the media persons in New Delhi on Monday that the CM gave four Rajya Sabha MP seats to BCs.

They said the YSR Congress government came up with a legislation to provide 50 per cent reservation in government posts to BCs. Two-thirds of the 109 posts in various corporations, were given to the BC communities. BC communities were given preference in welfare schemes too, they said.

The YSR Congress MPs urged the Centre to set up a special central ministry for welfare and development of BCs. “We will meet Prime Minister Modi to submit a representation on this,” they said.

Justifying the demand for a Union ministry for BCs, the MPs noted that reservations for BCs were being implemented in education and employment by the Centre. “There is a need for such a ministry to supervise implementation of the financial concessions, sanction of scholarships, grant of loans and sanction of loans on subsidy and several other schemes meant for BCs,” they said.

Referring to the Mandal Commission recommendation for the setting up of a Union ministry for BCs, the MPs said that 29 states in the country were having separate ministries for BCs.

They sought 60 per cent quota for BCs in implementation of several schemes meant for the poor.

The MPs also sought reservation for BCs in legislatures. Though a private bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha three years ago, it remained pending with “no support” from the Centre. They called for allocation of one lakh crore for BCs in the Union Budget against a total budget estimate of Rs 38.45 lakh crore. They said the allocation of just Rs 1,400 crore for BCs was insufficient.

They also sought grants for BC schemes in the states and reservation for BCs in the private sector, filling up of the 16 lakh vacant government posts and implementation of BC reservations in the Supreme Court and high courts.