Amid growing anger against the contentious reservation policy, which allocated only 40 per cent of positions for open merit in government job recruitments, the Omar Abdullah-led government Friday conceded the demand by announcing the setting up of a cabinet sub-committee to take a holistic view in the matter ahead of addressing the genuine concerns of the common aspirants.

The decision was taken during the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Abdullah at his residence in Jammu. Briefing media persons the CM told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar that the cabinet today decided to constitute a three-member sub-committee to review the existing reservation policy. He said some serious concerns were raised after the reservation policy was tweaked ahead of the Assembly polls earlier this year.

The newly formed government has been feeling the heat ever since assuming office last month. Newly elected legislators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Waheed Ur Rahman Para and National Conference (NC) MP from Srinagar Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi were the most vocal voices in support of the urgent review of the reservation policy.

Reacting to the cabinet decision, Ruhullah Mehdi on Friday said that the government is doing its job wherever it has clear powers and that the reservation policy won't be aimed at snatching somebody's rights but at rationalising it.

He said open merit needs to be rationalised. "This is what I wanted to convey through my tweet. I wanted to convey to those demanding rationalisation that if the government won't take any decision on it, I will join them and accompany them in getting their demands addressed. I also told them that I will accompany them to the CM and ensure that their demands are met forthwith by the government," Mehdi said.

In Jammu, minister for jal shakti and forests, Javed Ahmed Rana in a separate briefing said that critical issues, including employment, reservation, recruitment processes and development, were deliberated upon in the cabinet meeting. He said that the LG's speech during the session was thoroughly discussed.