EWS quota: No change in present reservation system, says Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said his government has come up with reservation for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) among forward communities not to subvert the existing one but to ensure better living condition for everyone in the society.

A section of people in the unreserved category are extremely poor and they do not avail any benefits of the reservation, which has led the government to consider the demand of 10 per cent reservation for such people (in government jobs), he said.

Cautioning against those trying to create ”unwanted controversy” over the quota for EWS, the CM said those who are trying to create division by flaring it up as an emotional issue were actually diverting attention from the real concerns.

He was speaking after inaugurating a state-wide survey to collect the details of the economically backward sections in the forward communities.

”A section of people argue that the government is implementing the reservation for EWS by subverting the existing reservation system. But, there is nothing like that.. This is implemented not sabotaging the reservation of any other section, who are already enjoying the benefits,” he said.

The poorest in the unreserved category would get the new reservation benefits and this was not part of any anti-reservation stance of the government.

Noting that the government considered social realities to come up with the new reservation norms, Vijayan also said what is more important is to ensure a good living condition for everyone in the society and there was no such environment in the state right now.