Patna, Jan. 27: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today fulfilled a promise to the upper caste sections he had made during the Assembly polls.

The cabinet this evening approved a proposal for setting up a commission for looking into the condition of educationally and financially backward sections among the upper castes.

The commission would also suggest ways for ameliorating the condition of people belonging to these sections.

“The commission would consist of five members, including one chairman and one vice-chairman,” said Afzal Amanullah, principal secretary, cabinet coordination.

He said that to begin with the commission would have a duration of three years from the date of assumption of office of its members.

The general administration department would be the parent department for the commission.

During the Karpoori Thakur regime, a formula of 3 per cent reservation to economically depressed sections of the upper castes was introduced. However, this quota was done away with during the Lalu Prasad era.

Nitish had promised the constitution of such a commission while campaigning for the 2010 Assembly elections.

Just before the polls, Nitish faced a revolt from his upper caste leaders — namely Lallan Singh and Prabhunath Singh — who alleged that the chief minister was trying to take away land from this section through the Lands Reforms Commission recommendations. Nitish had not only refuted the charges, but stressed that he believed in justice for all castes.

The cabinet approved the details of the programme for the budget session of the state legislature. The session would start on February 22 and would continue up to March 30. There would be 25 working days in the session.

The state budget for the financial year 2011-12 would be presented on February 25 and voting for it would take place on March 11.

March 28 and 29 have been fixed as dates on which government bills would be put on the floor of the legislature.

These dates assume significance as the chief minister has already announced on several occasions that the right to service bill would be introduced in the budget session itself.

Going by his assertion and the vast majority which the NDA government enjoys, there should be no problem in getting the bill passed.

The cabinet also decided to enhance the retirement age of doctors of Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology from the existing 62 to 65 years. The benefit would be extended to only those doctors who have a postgraduate degree.