Maharashtra Chief Minister announces survey by State Commission for Backward Classes to assess backwardness of Maratha community

The Maharashtra Commission for Backward Classes will conduct a survey to assess the backwardness of the Maratha community.

The Maharashtra Commission for Backward Classes will conduct a survey from January 23 to 31 to assess the social, economic and educational backwardness of the Maratha community, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Saturday. Mr. Shinde directed the State administration to carry out this survey, which will cover Maratha and non-Maratha open categories, in three different shifts on a war footing.

The announcement came after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil began his protest march on foot from Antarwali-Sarathi village in Jalna district to the State capital, Mumbai, over 400 km away, on Saturday morning to press for the community’s long-standing demand for reservation in government jobs and education.

Accompanied by thousands of members from the community, Mr. Jarange-Patil is set to reach Azad Maidan, the designated place for protests and rallies in south Mumbai, on January 26 and go on a hunger strike till the government provides reservation to the Marathas. He has demanded issuance of Kunbi OBC certificates to all Marathas.

At the meeting on the reservation issue at his official residence, Mr. Shinde directed Divisional Commissioners, Collectors, Commissioners of municipal corporations and other senior officials via a video link to inform villagers about the survey and share details with gram panchayat offices. “This work should be given top priority and carried out accurately with punctuality,” the Chief Minister said.

An estimated 2.50 crore families will be surveyed and renowned institutions like the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) in Pune, and the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, will assist in carrying out this exercise, he said.

Ajit Ranade, Vice-Chancellor of GIPE, said over 1.25 lakh enumerators, including teachers, gram sevaks and anganwadi workers, will be engaged for the survey, which will be completed in about eight days. Mr. Ranade also said training for enumerators started on Saturday in 36 districts, 27 municipalities, and seven cantonment areas.

Mr. Shinde asked the administration to properly carry out the training of enumerators and officers, and maintain a daily record.