Maha Govt announces social schemes for Marathi-speaking people of K’taka border area

Staff Reporter

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday announced to extend social schemes for the Marathi linguistic community in Karnataka border areas. The schemes will remain in vogue until the verdict of the Supreme Court, said Shinde in the Legislative Assembly.

While moving the resolution on the border issue, Shinde said, “Maharashtra Government has decided to double the pension to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the border dispute. Eight persons from Kolhapur, 3 from Mumbai suburbs and 1 each from Pune and Ratnagiri have died in dispute over border.”

The Maharashtra Government has been giving pension to those families from 2001. The pension amount has been increased to Rs 20,000 from Rs 10,000, Shinde informed the Assembly. Shinde said, social schemes like State Government’s Mahatma Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana, benefits of Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Monetary help to NGOs who are working for Marathi development etc. will be applicable in all 865 villages and cities that situated at Karnataka border.”

The Marathi people of Karnataka border area will get preferences in job in any part of Maharashtra. Students of Marathi linguistic community of border areas will get reservation in all higher education institutions, said Shinde in the lower house. Most importantly, the mandate of domicile that is required for seeking Government jobs will be automatically applicable to people in border areas, Shinde said further.