Lucknow, Mar 4: The Uttar Pradesh Government today demanded an increase in the Schedule Castes quota, and recommended inclusion of 16 OBC communities in the SC category.

Chief Minister Mayawati said that a proposal seeking inclusion of these castes and the demand for hiking the SC quota was sent to the Centre on Tuesday.

"These castes fulfil the criteria for being included in the list of SCs as their social and economic condition is pathetic," she said.

"We have urged the Centre to do it expeditiously and amend the Constitution to hike the SC quota," Mayawati added.

Mayawati alleged that the previous Samajwadi Party regime had issued a notification removing these castes from the OBC list, and included them in the SC category "knowing very well that only the Centre could do this".

The Allahabad High Court had later quashed the decision, leaving these castes in the lurch, she said.

The communities whose inclusion had been recommended are the Kahar, Kashyap, Kewat, Nishad, Bind, Bhar, Prajapati, Rajbhar, Batham, Gaur, Tura, Majhi, Mallah, Kumhar, Dheemar and Machua. (ANI)