Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on November 20, said that his government has come up with reservations for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) amongst dominant communities not to subvert the existing reservation norm but to ensure better living conditions for everyone in society.

The Minister was speaking after inaugurating a state-wide survey to collect the details of the economically backward sections in the dominant communities. "A section of people argue that the government is implementing reservations for EWS by subverting the existing reservation system. But, that is not the case, Vijayan said. He added, "This is not implemented by sabotaging the existing reservation system for other communities," he said.

Vijayan said that there are people who are trying to create "unwanted controversy" over the quota for EWS by flaring it up as an emotional issue. "A section of people in the unreserved category are extremely poor and they do not avail any benefits of reservations. This has led the government to consider the demand of 10 per cent reservation for such people in (government jobs)," he said.

Noting that the government considered various social realities before coming up with the new reservation norm, Vijayan said that what is more important is to ensure good living conditions for everyone.