Panel likely to notify Billawar in Kathua as ‘backward’ area

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, November 6

The Commission on Socially and Educationally Backward Classes is likely to notify new areas as ‘backward’ in Billawar of Kathua district, reliable source have informed.

Justice GD Sharma (retd)-led commission, which recommended Scheduled Tribe status to Pahari speaking people of J&K, is now working on addition and deletion of backward areas in the Union Territory (UT).

It has been learnt that the commission, which got six month extension in September this year, has finalised that some areas in Billawar of Kathua should be declared as ‘backward’ for grant of reservation to the residents in employment and education. Once the commission completes the process of identifying other backward areas, it will send its recommendations to the government.

Interestingly, in the absence of review for over 25 years, many backward areas have been developed in entire J&K. “The commission after due consideration will recommend de-notification of these from the list of backward areas and new areas will be added so that deserving population gets reservation under the category,” said sources.

It was after an uproar in J&K that Paharis were recommended reservation under the ST category. The Gujjar population, which enjoys the ST status, protested tooth and nail against the move. The Bill to grant ST status to the Paharis was introduced in the Parliament in the last session but has not been passed as of now. It was the GD Sharma-led commission which recommended ST status to Paharis.

Sources informed that several areas under the backward category are likely to be denotified by the commission. In 1990s, over 18 per cent area of Jammu and Kashmir was declared as ‘backward’ and 20 per cent reservation was extended to these areas. The reservation was slashed to 10 percent in 2020.

It is believed that many areas were declared backward under the political influence which needs to be denotified now. Many such areas are located in Rajouri and Poonch district which are likely to lose the tag of backward area.

The Commission also recommended reservation to Paddari tribe, Koli and Gadda Brahamans, as well as Valmikis who were demanding grant of reservation for decades.