Rajasthan rectifies notification to allow 100% quota for locals in TSP areas

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has reissued a notification for Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) areas, reserving 45% jobs for Scheduled Tribe (ST) and 5% for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates in all direct recruitment, except the State Services.
In addition to the ST/SC candidates, the general category candidates too would get quota benefit in the TSP areas. As per the notification, the remaining 50% vacancies in all direct recruitment in the TSP areas will be filled only with local candidates from the OBC, SBC and general categories.The special quota is only for candidates who are natives of the TSP areas and is applicable in direct recruitment at the lower levels only in TSP areas.
The TSP areas include the entire southern districts of Dungarpur, Banswara and Pratapgarh and some parts of Udaipur and Sirohi. The tribal people, supported by the Samanta Manch, had been agitating for the fresh notification since the earlier one was stayed by the Rajasthan high court on the ground that the state government failed to clarify under which law the special quota was granted.
The new notification gives references to sub-para (1) of para-5 in the Fifth Schedule under Article 244(1) and the Government of India notification F19(2)80-L-1 dated February 12, 1981 in allowing special quota to tribal people in TSP areas.
The local people from the TSP areas held a massive “Dhikkar” rally in Sagwara tehsil of Dungarpur to demand correction in the earlier notification so that the special quota could be implemented. The state government subsequently held a couple of meetings with the TSP leaders on the issue.
The region has the largest number of assembly constituencies reserved for ST candidates in Rajasthan. The past election-patterns show that the locals here vote en masse and the party that takes lead here generally comes to power. In 2013, the BJP won 15 of the 17 seats reserved for the ST in the region.