The stage is set for the Telangana Government to fulfill its major electoral promise of enhancing the reservation quota for the backward sections of Muslim minority. However, there remains a question mark whether it will be increased to 12 per cent as originally promised or to 9 per cent as fresh speculations suggest. The State already has 4 per cent quota for the Muslim minority since 2005.
The process of bringing in a new legislation to increase the quota has gained momentum with the State Backward Classes Commission headed BS Ramulu likely to submit its report to the State Government any time and same was likely to be discussed and approved by the State Cabinet.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has already declared that the a new Bill to increase the quota will be tabled and passed during the current Budget session of the State legislature. The Bill extending the reservations on the basis of socio-economic backwardness will be on the lines of a similar legislation in Tamil Nadu, a top official associated with the process said.
The BC Commission, which prepared its report after conducting public hearing in Hyderabad as well as visiting the districts to study the living condition of Muslims found the community living in very poor condition in the state.
Sources said that the BC Commission concluded that 90 per cent of Muslims in the State were in a very poor economic condition and recommended 9 per cent reservations to improve their socio-economic lot.