"The department is holding regular hearing of defaulter departments, institutions and organisations which fall under the scope and ambit of the said Act and Rule," state Backward Classes Welfare Minister Upen Biswas said.
Stating that a Bill on reservation of vacancies in services and posts for OBCs has already been passed by the assembly, the minister said the state government was now awaiting for Governor M K Narayanan's consent.
"Reservation in jobs to SC and ST in West Bengal is 22 per cent and 6 per cent respectively, and 10 per cent for the Other Backward Classes (category A) and 7 per cent for the Other Backward Classes (Category B)", he said.
There are 60 recognised scheduled castes, 40 scheduled tribes, 65 classes under OBC category A and 78 classes under OBC category B. The Sikh community has been included in the OBC category.
As per the 2001 census, out of a total population of about eight crore in West Bengal, 23.02 per cent belonged to the SCs and 5.5 per cent to the STs.
Though there was no census on OBC population, it was estimated that about 39 per cent of the total population belonged to that group, the minister added.
