Mumbai: Reaching out to the Other Backward Class (OBC) community ahead of the coming Assembly elections, the Maharashtra Cabinet on Thursday recommended that the annual income limit to qualify as ‘non-creamy layer’ be increased from the existing Rs 8 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. The recommendation has to be cleared by the Centre.
A ‘non-creamy layer’ certificate, which means the annual family income is below the prescribed limit, is needed to avail of reservation benefits in the OBC category. During the Budget Session earlier this year, held after the ruling coalition’s setback in the Lok Sabha elections, Atul Save, BJP leader and State Minister in charge of the OBC Bahujan Welfare Department, had said the state would raise the demand for increasing the income limit.
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If the centre approves the increase in the income ceiling, more of the OBC population having income more than Rs 8 lakh will become eligible to avail of the OBC reservation benefits. A non-creamy layer certificate stating the income of the person is required for OBC people to avail of reservation benefits meant for the caste group.
On Thursday, the Cabinet also approved a draft ordinance to accord constitutional status to the Maharashtra State Scheduled Caste Commission. The ordinance will be tabled at the next session of the legislature, the government said in a statement, adding that 27 posts were approved for the commission.
The Cabinet, which held its fourth meeting in three weeks, cleared over 40 proposals, mostly targeting smaller communities and minorities. It decided to increase the share capital of the Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Development Corporation from Rs 700 crore to Rs 1,000 crore, and the monthly salary of madrasa teachers from Rs 6,000 to Rs 16,000 (for D.Ed), and from Rs 8,000 to Rs 18,000 (for B.Ed).
The Cabinet also cleared proposals to set up development corporations with share capital of Rs 50 crore for Shimi, Gavli, Ladshakhiy Vani-Vani, Lohar and Nathpanthiy communities. Two special corporations were sanctioned for journalists and newspaper sellers.
Among other decisions, the Cabinet also cleared construction of Jalna-Nanded expressway which will be linked to the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway; allotment of government land in Borivali area for the Dharavi redevelopment project; housing for employees living in the Bandra government colony; allotment of land parcels in Palghar district to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC); and setting up the Maharashtra State International Employment and Skill Advancement Company for implementation of the state’s MoU with Germany on youth employment.
According to the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC), the state’s OBC population is more than 38% of the total population. The state has 33 Assembly seats reserved for SC candidates and 14 for ST candidates.
Taking a lesson from its poll debacle in the Lok Sabha Elections where the ruling Mahayuti could win just 18 out of the 48 Parliamentary seats, the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP (Ajit Pawar) alliance has taken several key measures to woo the different sections of voters. Replicating the Madhya Pradesh model by implementing ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’ to give Rs 1,500 monthly to women aged between 21 to 65 years. It has also decided to provide Rs 6,000 monthly to students who cleared 12th and Rs 8,000 per month to those having diploma degrees under the Ladka Bhau Yojana’.
By these ways, the ruling Mahayuti has tried to woo the women, youth, OBCs and ST voters ahead of the crucial assembly elections.
