Maharashtra Assembly passes Maratha Reservation Bill

Maharashtra Assembly, in a day-long special session on Tuesday, passed a bill granting 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community in educational institutions and government jobs.

The Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Act 2024 will be reviewed 10 years after the reservation comes into effect.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led cabinet, earlier, accepted a report by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission recommending the reservation, after a socioeconomic survey of nearly 2.5 crore families.

One of the key findings in the bill tabled by CM Shinde underscores that the population of the Maratha community in the state is 28 per cent.

Out of the total Maratha families that are below poverty line, 21.22 per cent hold the yellow ration cards. It is higher than the state's average of 17.4 per cent.

The state government's survey undertaken between January and February this year also found that 84 per cent of the Maratha community families do not fall under the progressed category, hence they are eligible for reservation as per the Indra Sawhney case, as per the bill Out of total farmers' suicides in Maharashtra, 94 per cent are from Maratha families, the bill noted.