Kohima, Nagaland, August 28 (HBTV): Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has said that the government can ‘revisit’ the issue of Backward Reservation and the clear specification may be made only after conducting the census.   

Rio, also the minister-in-charge of P&AR Neiphiu Rio has said that 80% reservation for Indigenous Scheduled Tribes of Nagaland was earmarked from July 26, 1967 with no specific end date.   Further, in 2973, the percentage of reservation was revised up to 100% for Non-Technical Grade -III and IV post and 80% for all the posts reserved for any Indigenous Scheduled Tribes of Nagaland.    

He was replying to the starred question and supplementary question on Job Reservation in Nagaland raised by MLA, Achumbemo Kikon during the first day of the fifth session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on August 27.   

Rio informed the house that Reservation for Backward Tribes in Nagaland began in 1977 with 25% reservation in non-technical and non- gazetted for seven tribes identified as basing on economical backwardness and also having insignificant representation in the services in the state.      

Currently, the Backward Tribe reservation stands at 37% with 25% for the seven eastern Nagaland backward tribes and 12% for other four backward tribe. In regard to job reservation in the government of Nagaland, Rio said that certain guidelines are made and is in regulation for the job.   

With regard to supplementary question about the specification of reservation quota, Rio said that the cabinet has discussed the matter to revisit the Backward Reservation and the clear specification can be made only after the conduct of census.