Congress vows to double Jharkhand OBC jobs quota

RANCHI: Congress on Sunday headlined its 40-page manifesto for the

Jharkhand

assembly elections with a promise to raise job reservation for OBCs from 14 to 27%, provide employment to at least one member of every household and institute a separate Sarna (religious) code for tribals.


“This is not just our poll announcement, but a commitment to our people. If we come to power, our government will work to implement these in tandem with our alliance partners,” UP Congress leader RPN Singh, who is the party’s Jharkhand in-charge, said in the presence of state president

Rameshwar Oraon

and others.

“All vacant positions in government departments shall be immediately filled and a policy to convert contractual workers into permanent ones will be introduced. To those whom we can’t give jobs, we will pay unemployment allowance,” he added.

Oraon said the tribal population’s long-standing demand for a separate Sarna code would be fulfilled if Congress came to power.

Congress’s push for higher OBC reservation is being seen as an attempt to blunt BJP and its disgruntled ally Ajsu-P’s attempts to get the first-mover advantage on this issue. Union home minister Amit Shah had announced at a rally in Lohardaga last week that a commission would be set up to review OBC quota, based on the population demographics in Jharkhand.

Congress’s manifesto also promises farm-loan waivers and repeal of Land Acquisition Act amendments brought by the

Raghubar Das

government.

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