Mah Assy passes bill granting Marathas 16 pc quota

Mumbai:The 288-member strong Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha on Thursday uniformly passed the Bill, which mandates 16 per cent reservation to the Marathas in government jobs  and educational institutions.

The Bill was passed on the second last day of the ongoing Winter Session of the statelegislature, following several adjournments of the House in the previous days.After statewide agitation of Marathas in the preceding months, the state government constituted a State Backward Class Commission, headed by retired Justice M G Gaikwad, to examine the extent of assimilation of Marathas in the state affairs.

The Commission judged the Marathas on a set of 25 parameters and found them backward on three fronts-social, financial and educational ground.A report prepared by the Commission, which recommended 16 per cent reservation to Marathas, was submitted on November 15 to Maharashtra Chief Secretary D K Jain.

Previously, the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Opposition had created a ruckus in the lower house, for not tabling the Commission's report.The Marathas, who comprise 30 per cent of the state's population, have been granted 16 per cent reservation under a new category, called 'Socially and Educationally Backward.' The bill passed on Thursday brings the total reservation in the state to 68 per cent, when added to the OBC reservation figure. (UNI)