<p>The state government has decided to double the Rs 50-lakh limit prescribed for the quota in government projects for contractors of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The decision comes ahead of the Assembly polls.</p>.<p>At present, the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act provides for reservation in tender works for the Scheduled Castes at 17.15% and the Scheduled Tribes at 6.95% in all works costing less than Rs 50 lakh. The limit will be increased to Rs one crore by amending the legislation.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the decision here on Sunday.</p>.<p>He was speaking after inaugurating 'Valmiki Bhavan' in Bengaluru constructed by the Karnataka Nayaka Community Welfare Association.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Reservation</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah said he was in favour of the demand from the Valmiki community that they be provided reservation in education and employment in proportion to their population.</p>.<p>The chief minister said as many as 15 seats were reserved for STs in the state and the Congress had won 11 of them in the 2013 Assembly polls.</p>.<p>"Our tally this time will increase," he said and added that the programmes of the state government had been accepted by the community.</p>
<p>The state government has decided to double the Rs 50-lakh limit prescribed for the quota in government projects for contractors of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The decision comes ahead of the Assembly polls.</p>.<p>At present, the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act provides for reservation in tender works for the Scheduled Castes at 17.15% and the Scheduled Tribes at 6.95% in all works costing less than Rs 50 lakh. The limit will be increased to Rs one crore by amending the legislation.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the decision here on Sunday.</p>.<p>He was speaking after inaugurating 'Valmiki Bhavan' in Bengaluru constructed by the Karnataka Nayaka Community Welfare Association.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Reservation</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah said he was in favour of the demand from the Valmiki community that they be provided reservation in education and employment in proportion to their population.</p>.<p>The chief minister said as many as 15 seats were reserved for STs in the state and the Congress had won 11 of them in the 2013 Assembly polls.</p>.<p>"Our tally this time will increase," he said and added that the programmes of the state government had been accepted by the community.</p>
