TN parties oppose lower cut-off mark for EWS quota in SBI exam
Chennai, Jul 24: Opposition parties, including DMK, on Wednesday came out against lower cut-off mark for economically weaker sections (EWS) than BCs and SC/STs in a recent SBI recruitment examination and demanded repeal of the new quota, alleging it went against social justice.
DMK president M K Stalin said the cut-off mark for the posts of junior associates in the State Bank of India was 61.25 for Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes and 53.75 for Scheduled Tribes out of 100 marks whereas the qualifying mark for EWS was only 28.5.
The SBI has conducted the preliminary exam for over 8,500 posts of junior associates in the clerical cadre.
The lower cut off mark EWS quota 'exposed' the BJP-led Centre burying social justice through the new quota regime, Stalin alleged in a Facebook post.
He demanded that the Centre scrap the 10 per cent EWS quota, alleging it shattered the social justice ecosystem and further eroded job opportunities for BCs and SC/STs in the services to Central government and public sector enterprises.
DMK's ideological fountainhead Dravidar Kazhagam's chief K Veeramani said his outfit had warned introducing economic criterion in reservations would break up the very foundations of social justice and "this has now been proved."
He wanted the MPs from the state to raise the demand for repealing the quota in Parliament.
CPI State Secretary R Mutharasan said the bank exam results were 'shocking' and has proven that the new EWS quota would bury social justice and blunt the very meaning of reservations.
Demanding scrapping of the 10 percent quota, he wanted all democratic forces to work for safeguarding social justice and throw out the Centre's "injustice against social justice, (the EWS quota)."
CPI(M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan claimed the cut-off mark structure was "pure injustice," and added the qualifying score for EWS aspirants should have been fixed more than that of those belonging to OBCs, SCs and STs.
Condemning the bank for fixing such a cut-off structure, the Marxist party leader urged the Centre to immediately undo the "partiality."
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said aspirants under the EWS category, though had scored pretty less than SC/ST candidates, have now qualified for the main examinations.
"The opportunities of backward classes, SCs and STs have been usurped and passed on to poor in the forward castes.
What can be a more brutal form of social injustice," he asked and demanded withdrawal of EWS quota.
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PM unveils connectivity projects worth Rs 18,680 crore in West Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled connectivity projects worth Rs 18,680 crore in West Bengal on Saturday, and said a new chapter of India's development was being written from the state.
He laid the foundation stone for five sections of the 231 km-long four-lane Kharagpur-Moregram economic corridor, which will reduce the distance by around 120 km and save nearly seven to eight hours.
The road, which is part of the economic corridor between Kharagpur and Siliguri, will pass through Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts, officials said.
The corridor will integrate key national highways, including NH-16, NH-19, NH-14 and NH-12, thereby strengthening multi-corridor connectivity, they said.
The PM also laid the foundation stone for the construction of a 5.6-km-long four-lane Dubrajpur Bypass and additional four-lane major bridges over the Kangshabati and Shilabati rivers on NH-14.
He flagged off the Purulia-Anand Vihar Terminal Express and unveiled six railway stations that were redeveloped under the Amrit Station scheme. These stations are Kamakhyaguri, Anara, Tamluk, Haldia, Barabhum and Siuri.
Modi also dedicated two railway projects to the nation -- the 16-km-long third rail line between Belda and Dantan and the automatic block signalling system between Kalaikunda and Kanimohuli in the South Eastern Railway zone.
The PM said a mission has been undertaken to modernise India's railways.
Modi also inaugurated sections of NH-19 and NH-114, which will enhance road safety, reduce travel time, ease congestion and pollution, improve regional connectivity, and boost tourism and economic growth in the region.
The PM also inaugurated the mechanisation of Berth 2 at Haldia Dock Complex, which will enable efficient, faster and environment-friendly cargo handling, and the rejuvenation project at Khidderpore Docks (Dock 1 - West).
He laid the foundation stones for multiple port infrastructure projects, including the mechanisation of Berth 5 at Haldia Dock Complex and the renovation of the Bascule Bridge in Kolkata.
The PM laid the foundation for a river cruise terminal and river tourism facility near the Indenture Memorial in the city.
Assembly elections are expected to be held in the state in April.
