New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS): The central overnment Thursday gave its approval to the amendment of the central list of Other Backwards Classes to ensure reservation benefits to around 60 castes/communities.

The approval was given by the union cabinet based on the recommendations of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) for making amendments in the central list of OBCs with respect to 60 castes in 13 states, an official release said.

The amendments will notify 115 changes recommended by the NCBC.

The states where these castes and communities belong to are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, and three Union Territories of Chandigarh, Delhi and Puducherry.

"The proposed changes will enable people belonging to these castes/communities to avail benefits of reservation in government services and posts as well as in central educational institutions according to existing policy."

"They will also become eligible for benefits under various welfare schemes and scholarships, being administered by the central government, which are at present available to persons belonging to the OBCs," the release said.