Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday approved the formation of a panel, which will suggest his government on the issues related to reservation for SC, ST and other backward classes.

The JMM-led government is contemplating raising the quota for scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and OBCs for government jobs and admission to state-run higher education institutes, an official release said.

The committee will consider all issues concerned with the increase of reservation limit for SCs, STs and OBCs in Jharkhand and suggest the state government, it said.

Raising the reservation limit, especially for the other backward classes (OBCs) in the state, has been a long-standing demand by all major parties.

The STs get a 26 per cent reservation in Jharkhand, while SCs have 10 per cent and OBCs 14 per cent.

The CM also approved a proposal of withdrawing cases filed against some people in Gumla, who supported the Pathalgadi movement for opposing the amendments to the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act) and the Santhal Paragana Tenancy Act, the official release said.

The cases were lodged in 2016 with the Gumla Police Station.

Pathalgadi is a traditional practice of tribals of erecting stone slabs (pathals) in honour of their ancestors, to announce important decisions regarding their families and villages or to mark the boundary of their villages.