The Maharashtra state government has expressed a positive stance on the demands of the Maratha community, with Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Minister for Water Resources and Chairman of the Maratha Reservation Cabinet Sub-Committee, directing all administrative departments on Tuesday, 26 August to take immediate action on pending issues. The directive came during a high-level review meeting held at the state ministry in Mumbai.

Key Decisions from the Review Meeting

The meeting, chaired by Vikhe Patil, was attended by Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai, MLA Prasad Lad, Annasaheb Patil Corporation Chairman Narendra Patil, retired Justice Sandeep Shinde, and senior officers across multiple departments including Finance, Medical Education, Agriculture, and Planning.

Vikhe Patil stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar, the state government has decided to extend educational facilities and concessions — equivalent to those available to OBC category students — to Maratha community students from the current academic year.

What the Government Directed

Departments already initiating action on OBC-equivalent benefits were instructed to accelerate the process and issue immediate directives to regional offices. All departments must appoint nodal officers to coordinate Maratha community issues with the Maratha Reservation Cell, and submit action-taken reports to the Cell on a regular basis.

Pending funds under the Punjabrao Deshmukh Subsistence Allowance Scheme are to be released without delay. Additionally, Divisional Commissioners and District Collectors were directed to review the distribution of Kunbi caste certificates and caste verification certificates, ensuring issuance within stipulated timelines. Vacant posts of Caste Verification Committee Chairmen must be filled immediately.

Financial Allocations and Employment Measures

The government announced the distribution of ₹450 crore to the Annasaheb Patil Corporation by the end of July, with directions that the funds reach beneficiaries promptly. The remaining required amount is to be formally demanded through the appropriate channel.

Sarathi Sanstha was directed to roll out training programmes focused on making Maratha community youth employable. The pending demand to appoint candidates on the waiting list in the Mahavitaran recruitment process is to be examined and resolved. Immediate action was also called for on a proposal to permanently regularise candidates appointed to the majority of posts in government service.

Vikhe Patil further directed that heirs of those who lost their lives during the Maratha Reservation Movement be appointed to government service as a matter of priority.

Hostel Infrastructure in Final Stage

Hostel construction projects nearing completion are set to provide accommodation for 4,000 boys and 4,000 girls from the Maratha community. Competent institutions are to be selected to manage these facilities, with the selection process to be expedited.

With the sub-committee now pushing for time-bound compliance across departments, the government's next steps on Maratha reservation and welfare measures will be closely watched by community leaders and activists alike.