This includes contracts given to construction agencies by various departments like Public Works, Irrigation department and others.

The state cabinet endorsed the new reservation policy on Thursday.

Announcing the policy, Chief Minister Mayawati said all establishments interested in doing business with government, public sector undertakings, boards and government-aided bodies, will have to implement reservation.

“The organisations will have to reserve posts for SCs, OBCs and others as per government policy,” she said. At present, the total reservation in state government jobs is around 50 per cent — 22 per cent for SCs and 27 per cent for OBCs.

“With the shrinking of the government’s role as an employer, in this era of economic reforms and liberalisation, job opportunities for SCs and OBCs were on the wane,” she said. Owing to the scarcity in government jobs, steps are being taken so the deprived sections of society also get their due share in the growing economy.