New Delhi:
Fulfilling a long pending demand, the Centre has given its nod to a proposal for granting special status to six backward districts of Karnataka, enabling local reservation in education and jobs, besides development.
The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, cleared the Home Ministry's proposal seeking amendment to the Constitution to provide reservation in employment and education sectors given the regional backwardness of the districts, sources said.
The amendment to Article 371 of the Constitution, as part of the special status to the Karnataka-Hyderabad region, will enable establishment of a regional council.
Six North Karnataka backward districts - Gulbarga, Yadgir, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal and Bellary - will benefit from the special status.
The provision enables the President to lay special responsibility to establish a separate development board to also help reservation in public employment through the creation of a local cadre for domiciles of the region, the sources said.
The Constitutional amendment bill will require its approval by both Houses of Parliament by a 2/3rd majority.