Union Minister Ramdas Athawale demands 5% reservation for SC, ST in Goa

Panaji: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday met Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant with various demands, including a 5 per cent reservation for people from the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in the coastal state.

Athawale had a meeting with the chief minister at Mantralaya at Porvorim.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Athawale said he has demanded that the reservations for the SC and ST communities be increased from the current 2 per cent to 5 per cent as publicly declared by former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar.

The Union minister also said the foundation stone for the proposed Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Bhavan at Porvorim should be laid before December 6 this year.

"The state government should grant ownership to SC and ST people whose properties are included as part of assets of temple committees in Goa. People from these communities should be provided land for cultivation in the state," Athawale said.

He further said a caste-based census should be conducted in the coastal state.

"I have urged the chief minister to make a separate provision for a finance development corporation for the SC/ST community," the minister said, adding that a separate SC welfare department should be formed in the state with a special budget provision for it.