BC reservations before local body polls: CM Naidu

Vijayawada: Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said the govt is taking steps to enhance and implement BC reservations before the upcoming local body elections. Speaking in the assembly during a discussion on welfare allocations, he said a cabinet sub-committee was formed to draft the BC Protection Act. He added that proposals relating to inclusion demands from some BC groups in the SC and ST categories were sent to the Centre and are under follow-up.Naidu said the previous YSRCP govt reduced BC reservations from 34% to 24%, and a one-man committee was constituted to restore them to 34%. He said SC categorisation was first carried out during 1996-97 when he was the chief minister but was not protected by subsequent administrations, which has now been implemented again. He also noted that GO 3, issued for tribal communities, was struck down by the Supreme Court after it was not defended earlier. Consultations are underway to finalise a framework to implement the GO in a manner acceptable to all, he said.