By TwoCircles.net News Desk,
New Delhi: In a landmark decision the Government of Puducherry has decided to give reservation to Muslims as the state’s annual budget for 2009-10 presented on August 5 has promised to provide 2.5% separate reservation to notified Muslim OBCs.
In another good decision for the minorities, Chief Minister V. Vaithilingam while presenting a budget of Rs.4,133 crore informed the Assembly that a separate Department for Welfare of Minorities and a state Minority Commission would be constituted.
The government proposed to distribute colour television sets to those below poverty line.
Besides, the state government has also decided that 5 categories of people under Most Backward Classes will be given 1% separate reservation under the category of Backward Tribes.
Vaithilingam informed the House that his government had decided to remove income ceiling altogether for the Scheduled Castes to avail benefits for all educational schemes. Further, in respect of all other development schemes implemented by the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department it was decided to enhance the income ceiling limit to Rs.2 lakh from the existing limit. An amount of Rs. 254.38 crore had been allocated in the annual budget for the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department.