Mumbai: In an expected move, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Cabinet today approved 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in the state.
With this, Maratha community will get reservation benefits in the education and government jobs. Maharashtra Cabinet today approved the draft of the bill for 10% Maratha reservation in education and government jobs, thus fulfilling the long pending demand of the community.
Notably, Maharashtra already has a 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in which the Marathas are the biggest beneficiaries as they claim 85 per cent of the reservation benefit.
Amid the legal hurdlers, this is the third time in a decade that a government in Maharashtra has introduced legislation for the Maratha reservation.
The bill for 10 per cent Maratha quota is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018 introduced by the then Devendra Fadnavis government. The reservation to the Maratha community has been extended based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) headed by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre.
The Maharashtra government is also conducting a special session to pass the bill. The special session is being convened prompted by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s hunger strike at Antarwali Saarati village in Jalna district.
The Maharashtra government is also conducting a special session to pass the bill. The special session is being convened prompted by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s hunger strike at Antarwali Saarati village in Jalna district.