MUMBAI: The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved a draft bill providing 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community in government jobs and education. The bill will be tabled in the state assembly for approval later today.
The draft bill says that the community is eligible for reservation on grounds of social and educational backwardness. It points out that the state government has the right to prepare a list of communities that are socially and educationally backward in the state.
The draft mentions the findings of the Maratha survey undertaken by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC).A total of 1.6 crore families were surveyed. According to the survey, 28 per cent of the population belonged to the Maratha community. It further stated that 21 per cent of the Maratha families were below the poverty line or had yellow ration cards compared to 18 per cent of the open category population, showing the community being economically backward.
The survey showed 94 per cent of the farmers who committed suicide in the state belonged to the Maratha community. It also showed that the percentage of the Maratha community is low in secondary and higher education.
It also pointed out that the Maratha community has inadequate representation in state government jobs and requires a quota. The community was facing a decline in farm income, the division of land holdings and the lack of emphasis on education for the youth. This had resulted in a decline in the economic status of the community.
The findings also show that the community faces illiteracy and lack of access to graduate, post-graduate and vocational education. As a result, its access to jobs was limited.
The community is largely dependent on agriculture but this sector has been declining. The community is largely dependent on jobs including mathadi workers, hamaal, security guards, safai workers, domestic workers, dabbawallahs and drivers, as per the survey.
The draft bill says that the community is eligible for reservation on grounds of social and educational backwardness. It points out that the state government has the right to prepare a list of communities that are socially and educationally backward in the state.
The draft mentions the findings of the Maratha survey undertaken by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC).A total of 1.6 crore families were surveyed. According to the survey, 28 per cent of the population belonged to the Maratha community. It further stated that 21 per cent of the Maratha families were below the poverty line or had yellow ration cards compared to 18 per cent of the open category population, showing the community being economically backward.
The survey showed 94 per cent of the farmers who committed suicide in the state belonged to the Maratha community. It also showed that the percentage of the Maratha community is low in secondary and higher education.
It also pointed out that the Maratha community has inadequate representation in state government jobs and requires a quota. The community was facing a decline in farm income, the division of land holdings and the lack of emphasis on education for the youth. This had resulted in a decline in the economic status of the community.
The findings also show that the community faces illiteracy and lack of access to graduate, post-graduate and vocational education. As a result, its access to jobs was limited.
The community is largely dependent on agriculture but this sector has been declining. The community is largely dependent on jobs including mathadi workers, hamaal, security guards, safai workers, domestic workers, dabbawallahs and drivers, as per the survey.
Source Agencies
