Don't create trouble over Maratha quota'

Mumbai: Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil has warned political leaders wanting to create trouble in the state in the name of Maratha reservation to desist. “The government is monitoring them (political workers) through intelligence and we know which organisations are funding them,” said Mr Patil.

 “Though the government is taking all efforts to give reservation, the benefits of reservation are already being given to the Maratha community through various schemes,” Mr Patil clarified. The state government has approved 50 per cent fees reimbursement to the economically backward medical students also who are studying in the private medical colleges.

 Maratha organisations have taken aggressive stand on the reservation issue and threatened the government that they will not allow MLAs to move around across the state till government declares the reservations.

Mr Patil discussed with the organisations in last two days and tried to convince them.

The minister said, “The government is committed for the reservation and the issue is before state backward class commission which is working speedily. The government has already given benefits of reservations through various schemes to Maratha and other communities. Fees reimbursement scheme is approved for 605 courses like OBC students and now medical students will also get 50 per cent reimbursement if the family income is less than Rs 8 lakh  per annum. Cabinet subcommittee is taking review every Tuesday of various schemes and decisions taken for Maratha community.”

While the government has extended freeships for 605 vocational courses to students from economically backward classes, it has not included major courses such as MBBS and BDS in the current academic year, the delegation said. They also said that the state announced that it would extend financial aid up to Rs  10 lakh from Annasaheb Patil Financially Backward Development Corporation, but applications have not yet been processed.

“People want reservation for jobs,” said Mr Patil and tried to explain the view of the government that, “If we consider 1,00,000 government jobs will be created, then Maratha youths will get 16,000 jobs. Instead of it, government offered a without interest loan up to Rs 10 lakh to 10,000 youths for business. They can create 50,000 jobs.”