OBC creamy layer criteria extended to PSUs, financial institutions

New Delhi, Aug 30 : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday extended the criteria for deciding the creamy layer under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category to Public Sector Undertakings and financial institutions, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced.

The Union Cabinet had last week decided that OBC families earning up to Rs 8 lakh per annum will be considered in the creamy layer. Earlier, this ceiling was Rs 6 lakh per annum.

Jaitley said that even though the Indian government had decided the criteria for deciding the creamy layer on the basis of income and status in 1993, the decision was not implemented on PSUs and financial institutions.

"Now, on the advice of the Group of Ministers, the cabinet has given its approval" to implement it, Jaitley said.

"So now the same limit of Rs 8 lakhs, which is applicable on central government, will also be applicable on PSUs and financial institutions," he said.

"With regards to status, candidates whose parents hold constitutional posts or group A and B posts are excluded," Jaitley said.

The minister said that with these decisions, the benefits will spread more widely in the OBC community.