NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday moved an amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 to extend the 3 per cent reservation in educational institutions and government jobs to those living within 10 km of the International Border.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act provided for vertical reservation in direct recruitment, promotions and admission in different professional courses to various categories but these were not extended to persons adjoining the International Border.
This area faces the brunt of Pakistani military firing and shelling, forcing people to often shift to safer places.
"Due to continuous cross-border tensions, persons living alongside the International Border suffer from socio-economic and educational backwardness," Shah told the Lok Sabha.
He said the residents of these areas have to move to safer places due to repeated tensions and this impacted their studies as educational institutions near the border remained shut for long periods.
"Hence, it was felt important to extend the reservation benefits to persons residing in the areas adjoining the International Border on the similar lines of the persons living in areas adjoining Actual Line of Control (ALoC)," he said.
In February, the Union Cabinet had approved the proposal of the Jammu and Kashmir government to issue The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 by the President.
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Earlier, the provision of 3 per cent reservation was available only for youths living within six kilometres of the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K. Now, this provision will be applicable for people living near the International Border also.
This has been a long-pending demand of the population living near the International Border as they face the brunt of cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir.