DAVANGERE: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday assured the Valmiki Nayaka community of increasing the ST quota at the earliest. Addressing the Valmiki Jatre in Rajanahalli village, attended by community leaders Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and Social Welfare Minister B Sriramulu, he said that once the cabinet sub-committee submits the report, he will take an appropriate decision.
The community has been demanding a hike in reservation from 3.5% to 7.5%. It was the coalition government led by former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy that appointed the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission to look into the matter. The commission submitted a report to Yediyurappa.The CM said that the commission’s report was before the cabinet sub-committee, which would peruse it and give its opinion. This will be first discussed in the cabinet, he said.
When Valmiki Gurupeet’s Prasannananda Swamy said that he would fast unto death if the CM failed to fulfil his promise, Yediyurappa assured him that his government would make a sincere effort to fulfil their demand. The seer said he was satisfied with the CM’s assurance.
The CM announced that grants of Rs 10.8 crore would be released shortly. He said that `5.4 crore had been handed over to the mutt for developmental activities.Showing his commitment for the development of the Nayaka community, the CM said that sufficient funds had been provided to the Valmiki Development Corporation even during the pandemic.
‘Cabinet panel looking at Nagmohan Das report’
Davangere: Social Welfare Minister B Sriramulu on Wednesday announced that the increased reservation of 7.5 per cent for the Valmiki Nayaka community will be announced by the CM soon. Addressing the Valmiki Jatra 3 programme at Rajanahalli, he said the report submitted by Justice Nagmohan Das Commission is under perusal of the cabinet sub-committee, which is to submit its report shortly. Based on it, the reservation will be increased. Meanwhile, KPCC working president Satish Jarkiholi said that, BJP is in power both at the state and the Centre, hence the reservation percentage should be increased and ratified in both the houses of the state legislature.