New Delhi: The hike in quota for Scheduled Caste from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and for Scheduled Tribe from 3 per cent to 7 per cent was a constitutional decision and this has allowed them to live with self-respect, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.


Addressing a rally organised by BJP ST Morcha in Ballari on Sunday, Bommai said they were treading the path shown by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has united the whole country with his programmes such as ‘Sab Ka Saat, Sab Ka Vikas’, ‘Sab ka Vishwas and Sab Ka Prayas’.


“Through this, he has rendered justice to every community. The state government has taken a historic decision to hike reservation for SC/ST communities,” CM Bommai said.






Talking about the government schemes, Bommai said that the Karnataka government has given grants of Rs 28000 crore for the SC/ST communities.


Several schemes of the Social Welfare Department have been given Rs 6000 crore. A separate directorate has also been established for the ST community, he said.


“Numerous schemes have been started for the social, economic and academic upliftment of the SC/ST communities. One hundred Ambedkar hostels and 50 Kanakadasa Hostels are being constructed. Self-employment opportunities are being generated through Vivekananda Yuva shakti schemes and Stree Samarthya scheme to benefit five lakh women in the state,” CM Bommai said.


Referring to the epic Ramayana, Bommai said Ramayana was penned by Maharshi Valmiki and that the Valmiki community must involve in nation building activities.


“The Valmiki community people are very brave and they had defeated the Mughals. Some of the brave people of this community are Veera Madakari Nayak, Ekalavya, Bedara Kannappa,” Bommai said.


Notably, BJP National President JP Nadda, Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwant Khuba, former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, BJP National General secretary and in-charge Arun Singh, CT Ravi, ministers B Sriramulu, Govind Karjol, Anand Singh, Prabhu Chouhan and MLAs Somashekar Reddy, Karunakar Reddy, Raju Gowda, among others were present on the occasion.