Tamil Nadu CM bats for existing policy on OBC creamy layer

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to continue the existing policy of determining the OBC creamy layer by excluding agricultural and salary income.
In a letter to Modi, the chief minister said the Centre could consider extending OBC reservation following the Tamil Nadu model.
It would benefit the backward classes across the country equitably and render complete social justice.
“If salary and agricultural income of the parents are considered to be part of the overall income of the parents, this would disallow OBC status to several deserving OBCs from availing reservation in admission to jobs, as well as welfare schemes under the Central government,” the CM said.
He recalled the reports in the media that Union government was contemplating revision of the criteria for creamy layer among the OBCs by including salary and agricultural income.
The central government extends 27% OBC quota for direct recruitment in civil posts and services falling under its purview, subject to the condition that quota shall not be applied to persons/sections specified as creamy layer from among the OBCs.
There are six criteria for assessing the persons to be excluded as creamy layer within OBCs, which includes income limit. If the income limit of the parents, for the wards to whom OBC status can be claimed, was fixed at Rs 1 lakh per annum in the year 1993, it was revised to Rs 8 lakh since September 1, 2017.