Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday gave his approval for the establishment of a cabinet sub-committee to find a solution to reservation and other issues faced by the other backward classes (OBC) and nomadic tribes in the state.
The cabinet subcommittee is being formed that will be headed by the Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil to look into the issues faced by the Maratha community and recommend solutions to address them.
CM Fadnavis’ decision comes after NCP Minister and Samata Parishad founder Chhagan Bhujbal has made a request saying that such a committee is necessary to discuss issues of OBCs and nomadic tribes and suggest workable solutions.
The Committee’s formation will take place soon, and it will comprise ministers from the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP. The Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar has recommended the inclusion of Bhujbal, who has been fighting for the cause of OBC reservation, and agriculture minister Dattatray Bharane from his party in the cabinet sub-committee.
A senior minister said that the government had earlier formed the cabinet sub-committee to study the reservation of other backward classes and nomadic tribes and recommend to the cabinet a slew of concessions and benefits to be provided to these committees. However, this committee does not exist at present.
CM’s green signal comes days after the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha Reservation was restructured by appointing Vikhe Patil as its chairman, replacing the Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil.
This was done at a time when the pro-Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil announced to stage an indefinite protest in Mumbai from August 29, demanding the implementation of Maratha reservation.
However, Minister Bhujbal demanded that a cabinet sub-committee be formed for other backward classes and nomadic tribes as these communities can take up their issues with regard to reservation, various benefits under several government schemes, including scholarships to students and youth pursuing their education.
Minister Bhujbal, who has been consistent in opposing providing Maratha community reservation from the OBC quota, in his letter to the Chief Minister, pointed out that the cabinet subcommittee on Maratha reservation was able to sort out various issues about various government undertakings such as Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation and Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI).
These undertakings are providing financial assistance and training to youth from the Maratha community.
Bhujbal argued that this has benefited the Maratha community in a big way.
“Since there is no cabinet sub-committee for Other Backward Classes and their issues, including reservation, several issues are pending with various departments, including Revenue, General Administration, Finance and Planning. Issues faced by Maharashtra State Other Backward Classes Finance and Economic Development Corporation and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research & Training Institute (MAHAJYOTI), which are engaged in providing financial aid and training to OBC youth, have been pending for a long time. It is necessary that these issues be reviewed and addressed from time to time. For this, a Cabinet Sub-Committee is necessary,” said Bhujbal.
Bhujbal today confirmed that CM Fadnavis assured to immediately form a cabinet sub-committee for OBC issues and also directed the concerned officials to take action in this regard.
