This Week Haryana: Jats set to count as OBCs

Jats set to count as OBCs

Jats, a dominant community counted so far among the upper castes, and one to which Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda belongs, have finally clinched a recommendation for reservation. The Backward Classes Commission, formed after a Jat agitation, submitted its report and it was approved by the cabinet within three hours. Once Jats get reservation, Hooda will be the only chief minister to have headed the state first as an upper caste member and then as an OBC member. The report goes into the "poor conditions" Jats live in, as cited by the community to justify reservation. After it was submitted, Jat leaders went to the chief minister's home to express their gratitude.

Power deal with Bhutan

Haryana has signed an MoU with Bhutan for setting up a hydro power plant there. Chief Minister Hooda led a delegation on a short visit to settle the deal. The power department is headed by Hooda's detractor in the party, Captain Ajay Singh Yadav, who was apparently kept out of the loop. It was the industries department that handled the deal; it will also arrange the funds for the project. The state now aims at getting 2000 MW power from Bhutan, and such a plant would require Rs 20,000 crore.

Bureaucratic reshuffle

The recent bureaucratic shake-up has disappointed officers who had been eyeing key posts. Chief Minister Hooda had taken his time deciding, leading to much lobbying. The posts were decided about three weeks after the government had promoted eight IAS officers to financial commissioners. The transfers upset some who had one or the other of their dual charges taken away. This seems to have been the last major reshuffle by the present government before it completes its tenure in 2014.

Cabinet expansion keeps waiting

... contd.

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