Maha govt extends OBC-like education benefits to Maratha community

Chaitanya.MarpakwarMumbai: Days after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange ended his ninth hunger strike, the state govt on Friday extended educational benefits available to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to the Maratha community. The benefits of eight welfare and scholarship schemes will be given to the Maratha community from the current academic year.Officials said the schemes, which include training initiatives and fee reimbursement facilities, have been aimed at boosting access to education and skill development, and they will be extended to Maratha community students.Jarange had demanded that like OBC students, those from the Maratha community should get benefits of concessions and schemes in education. He began his ninth hunger strike on May 30 in Antarwali Sarati village in Marathwada but ended it the next day after the state govt gave him assurances on issues related to the Maratha quota.A govt resolution issued on Friday stated, “The state govt has considered issuing detailed instructions to the concerned departments to allow the Maratha community to benefit from all educational concessions and facilities like other OBCs, making separate provision of funds in the current and upcoming financial years and making necessary technical changes in the MahaDBT portal to enable eligible beneficiaries to get benefits online.”Officials said, “After a discussion in the Maratha reservation sub-committee meeting, the difficulties faced in providing the benefits of educational concessions/schemes to the Maratha community were discussed. At that time, it was revealed that there was a need to make separate provision of funds for this and make necessary technical changes on the MahaDBT portal.”The state govt has asked the departments of school education and sports, higher and technical education, medical education, agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries development, skill, employment, entrepreneurship and innovation development and planning to extend the OBC-like education benefits to students of the Maratha community.The GR stated, “The Post-School Examination Scholarship Scheme applicable to OBCs should also be applied to students from the Maratha community. The Motor Vehicle Driver and Carrier Training Scheme applicable to candidates belonging to OBC category should be implemented by the planning department through the Sarathi organization. Scholarship schemes applicable to students of primary, secondary and higher secondary classes of OBCs should also be applied to students of the Maratha community. Scheme for candidates admitted to govt Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) as well as in private ITIs, Vocational Training Fee Reimbursement Scheme etc must be made applicable to Maratha community students.”Officials said a detailed review of the implementation of the schemes would be done from time to time by the cabinet sub-committee constituted to focus on the social, educational and economic condition of the Maratha community. “All implementing departments should submit a detailed compliance report of the action taken,” the GR said.