The Karnataka government is mulling inclusion of the Kurubas, the community to which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah belongs, under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list.
A meeting is likely to be held under the chairmanship of the Karnataka Scheduled Tribe Welfare Department Secretary on Tuesday in Bengaluru to discuss the issue.
Also, it is likely to discuss the inclusion of the Kuruba community of Bidar, Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts in Karnataka as a synonym of the Gonda community of Karnataka State. Kurubas currently come under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
They are seen as a dominant OBC community in the state after the Lingayats and Vokkaligas.
Among five OBC categories in Karnataka, who get an overall 32 percent reservation, Kurubas come under Category 2A which has a 15 percent quota.
To add any community to ST list, a recommendation has to be made by the state government to the Centre, according to officials.
Rural development minister Priyank Kharge said the government is making honest efforts in this regard.
"There has been a demand for a long time from the Koli and Kuruba communities (to be included under STs). During our previous government (Congress), we had sent the recommendation to the central government. They had sent back seeking clarification. Despite giving clarification, it was not done, stating it has to be done by following the anthropology report. Now, meetings have been called by the state government, separately for both communities to discuss this," he told reporters in Kalaburagi. -- PTI
