Ashok Gehlot regime deciding to pass a resolution to seek 33 per cent reservation for women in the assembly.
After wooing the farming community, the Congress government in Rajasthan has shifted its focus to women and families living above poverty line (APL). The Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan has decided to pass a resolution on 33 percent women reservation in the ongoing session of the state assembly. The state government has also announced to give away 1kg wheat at Re1 to APL households.
The resolution offers 33% reservation to women on all seats in the legislative assembly. It also promises a similar quota in general elections provided the bill gets passed by the parliament. The state government decision comes on directives of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi who recently shot letters to the party-ruled states to act upon it and push the Modi government into getting the bill on women’s reservation passed in the parliament. The Amrinder Singh government in Punjab has already passed this resolution in the state assembly.
Gehlot reiterated that his government is committed to women’s representation in democracy. “‘Rahul Ji wants reservation for women in both the Parliament and the state assemblies. He has suggested that the Congress-ruled states should act upon it and pass resolution,” Gehlot said after Cabinet meeting at his residence in Jaipur.
“We brought the bill when we were at the Centre. The BJP has its government at the Centre and it has amended the constitution throughout its tenure. Though, its double standards were exposed on this major issue (bill). The resolution has been passed in Punjab and in the latest cabinet meeting we have also decided to table it soon in the assembly,” said Sachin Pilot, PCC chief and deputy chief minister.
Sources said Gehlot government would get the resolution urging the Centre to enact Women’s Reservation Bill to provide 33% reservation for women in both Parliament and state assemblies passed in this session itself. The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha during the UPA rule when Sonia Gandhi was the Congress president, but lapsed in Lok Sabha due to the differences within the Opposition, party officials said.
If the Centre makes the reservation a reality then 181 seats in Lok Sabha will be reserved for women along with 1,370 assembly seats (out of a total of 4,109) in 28 state assemblies in the country. In Rajasthan, the women would stand to represent at least 66 assembly constituencies out of the 300 in the Vaidhan Sabha, if the bill is passed by the Parliament. Women in Rajasthan already have reservation in Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRI) and municipal bodies. They were first given 33% reservation in PRIs which was later increased to 50%.
In another populist decision, Gehlot government has also decided to extend the benefit of 1kg wheat at 1 rupee to APL families. Currently, the scheme is meant only for families living Below Poverty Line (BPL). The move will benefit 94 lakh households across the state. “Now, the BPL and APL families will be entitled 1 KG wheat for Re1. So far it was limited to BPL families only,” Pilot said.
The announcements follow the party’s decision of waiving off farm loan worth 19 crore rupees in the state. Rahul Gandhi had announced that farm loans would be waived off within ten days of government formation in state.
Although, the state government has declared it is waiving off loans taken by farmers, but the same is yet to be reflected in their accounts.
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 "Ashok Gehlot")
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