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Updated: Aug 16, 2019 09:53 IST

Increasing the reservation for backward communities, creating an elephant reserve are among a slew of announcements Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel made at the Independence Day function in Raipur on Thursday.

“Now 27% reservation will be provided to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 13% to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 32% to the Scheduled Tribes (STs),” Baghel said.

Till now, the reservations earmarked for OBCs, SCs and STs in state-run educational institutions and government jobs in Chhattisgarh were 14%, 12% and 32%, respectively.

Political observers say the Congress government led by Baghel is trying to create a “regional narrative” by moves like increasing the reservation for backward communities. “To fight the nationalistic slogan of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Baghel began ‘Chhattisgarh pride’ politics,” said Ashok Tomar, a political analyst.

In his Independent Day speech, Baghel also stressed on the protection of wildlife.