PTI

New Delhi: In an effort to implement OBC reservation quickly, Centre approved an outlay of over Rs 10,000 crore for infrastructure of elite higher educational institutions, envisaging a capacity expansion by 54%.

A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave its in-principle approval to the outlay of Rs 10,328.20 crore for infrastructure development of Central universities and management and technical institutions.

The decision was aimed at accommodating the additional intake of OBC students, as per the 27% reservation, “without affecting the intake of open competition candidates,” Finance Minister P Chidambaram said after the meeting.

Of the total outlay, an amount of Rs 4,107.91 crore would be of recurring nature and Rs 6,220.29 crore would be non-recurring expenditure.

The implementation of the recommendations of the Oversight Committee, headed by M Veerappa Moily and the Empowered Committee, would benefit students in Central universities and management and technical institutions.