Jaipur: Rajasthan Cabinet Friday approved the recommendations of the Rajasthan Other Backward Classes (Political Representation) Commission, clearing the way for OBC reservation in urban local bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions and moving ahead with the state govt’s plan to hold civic and rural local body elections together under the “One State, One Election” model.Briefing reporters after the meeting chaired by chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, parliamentary affairs minister Jogaram Patel said the commission’s recommendations, submitted on Aug 5, had been accepted by Cabinet. “The process of reserving seats for SCs, STs and OBCs through a lottery system will begin once the required legal provisions are put in place,” he said.Cabinet also approved Code on Wages (Rajasthan) Rules, 2026, which fixes a 48-hour work week, caps daily working hours at 10.5 hours, including breaks, provides for a weekly paid holiday and links dearness allowance revisions to Consumer Price Index twice a year.In a press briefing, industries minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said Cabinet approved the Rajasthan Agriculture and Food Processing Policy, 2026, and Rajasthan Food Park Development Policy, 2026, to encourage agro-processing, strengthen supply chains, attract private investment and create jobs in rural areas. The agriculture policy offers capital subsidies of up to 60%, with additional incentives for farmer-producer organisations (FPOs), women entrepreneurs, SC/ST entrepreneurs and projects in Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) areas. The food park policy envisages developing cluster-based food parks across the state to boost food processing, value addition and exports.Cabinet also approved the Tree Outside Forest Policy, made it mandatory for renewable energy developers to earmark 10% of allotted land for plantation, and amended the Rajasthan Integrated Clean Energy Policy, 2024, by introducing incentives for battery storage projects and reducing the power evacuation timeline from three years to two.Deputy chief minister Prem Chand Bairwa said Cabinet also cleared Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural), which promises 125 days of guaranteed employment with digital monitoring of work. Besides this, Cabinet approved a series of employee welfare and administrative measures, including extending insurance cover for state govt employees until their actual date of retirement.
