The ‘creamy layer’ ceiling for OBC reservation has been raised to Rs. 8 lakh per year, according to an official order issued on Wednesday.

“It has now been decided to raise the income limit from Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 8 lakh per annum for determining the creamy layer among the Other Backward Classes,” the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.

In 1993, the limit was kept at Rs. 1 lakh. It was raised thrice — to Rs. 2.5 lakh in 2004, Rs. 4.5 lakh in 2008 and Rs. 6 lakh in 2013.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had on August 23 announced that the Union Cabinet had been formally apprised of the decision to increase the limit for Central government jobs.

Mr. jaitley had said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hinted in Assam that the bar defining creamy layer would be raised.

“These measures are part of the government’s efforts to ensure greater social justice and inclusion for members of the Other Backward Classes,” an official release issued recently said.