Srinagar, June 17: The Jammu and Kashmir cabinet is intentionally expected to be deliberately on the long-awaited report of the cabinet sub-committee on the reservation policy (2024) this evening, seeking a proper stake in government jobs and scholarships amid increasing pressure from open merit candidates.
While the official agenda for today’s cabinet meeting – has been scheduled for 6 pm at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar – has not been released, reliable sources show that the issue of reservation will be in front and center. The open merit category, which claims to represent about 70% of the population, is raising the voice of strong resentment, alleging that they get less than 30% benefits in government employment and educational assistance.
The cabinet sub -committee, which includes ministers Sakina Itu, Javed Rana and Satish Sharma, presented their final report on 10 June after a public consultation. The panel is expected to abbreviate the cabinet on its recommendations today. The meeting will be chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, whose administration is under the increasing investigation on how it handles reservation imbalance.
Political observers see this as the culmination of a process starting during the PDP-Congress coalition era in 2004 and reduced comprehensive changes under the non-political administration of the BJP-led Center in March 2024. The current policy has strongly criticized several quarters, calling for rationalism and merit-based representative.
Sources indicate that the cabinet will not only review the CSC report, but can also take a policy call on whether to implement its recommendations and how to move forward legally. Apart from the issue of reservation, the cabinet is also likely to discuss the upcoming Shri Amarnath Yatra and preparations for tourism promotion – both in areas of focusing renewed after the recent terrorist attack in Pahgam. (KDC)
