New Delhi: A Bill which proposes to give reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to those living within 10 km of the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir and bring them under the ambit of reservation at par with persons living in areas adjoining the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019 had been cleared by the Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 12.
The Bill will replace the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, which was cleared by President Ram Nath Kovind on February 28.
In its statement of purpose, the Bill states that due to the existing instability, people living in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir are often forced to move out of their homes and move to safer places, which impacts their education.
In order to bring them into the mainstream, it was felt justifiable to extend the reservation benefits to these people.
The Bill would allow the youths of Jammu and Kashmir who are from economically weaker sections belonging to any religion or caste to aim for the government jobs.
The Bill is in line with the Centre’s ten per cent reservation for economically weaker sections, which was introduced in rest of the country through the 103 Constitution Amendment in January 2019.
