The developments came amid growing concern over Jarange’s health. The activist, who has intermittently accepted saline support during the protest, has reportedly stopped consuming water and is refusing medical treatment.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: With Manoj Jarange’s indefinite hunger strike for Maratha reservation entering its 10th day, Maharashtra govt on Monday announced a series of concessions for Maratha, Kunbi and SEBC youths, even as the quota activist intensified his attack on Mahayuti and called on supporters to gather at Antarvali Sarati on Sept 12. The decisions include extending educational concessions available to OBC students to Maratha students from the 2026-27 academic year, releasing Rs 200 crore towards pending hostel maintenance allowances, revising SARTHI’s overseas scholarship policy and providing free driving and conductor training to 1,440 Maratha and Kunbi youths. State issued four govt resolutions (GRs) covering education, scholarships, hostel assistance and skill development, apparently seeking to defuse mounting anger within the Maratha community. The developments came amid growing concern over Jarange’s health. The activist, who has intermittently accepted saline support during the protest, has reportedly stopped consuming water and is refusing medical treatment.
Students will also receive an additional annual maintenance/contingency allowance of $1,500, or £1,100. SARTHI has additionally tied up with the Institute of Driving Training and Research, Pimpri-Chinchwad, to provide free LMV, HMV and conductor training to 1,440 Maratha and Kunbi youths from Oct 1, with a target of ensuring employment or self-employment for at least 1,000 beneficiaries. A new merit-listing mechanism based on QS rankings has also been introduced. A fresh merit-listing system based on QS rankings has also been introduced. Stay updated with the latest Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar news.
In another significant decision, govt revised the SARTHI overseas scholarship scheme. Meanwhile, revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil reviewed the process of displaying Kunbi records traced from historical documents, including the Hyderabad Gazetteer, at the village level. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, the records have been uploaded on the district administration’s website and can be accessed through mobile phones. Gram panchayats have also been instructed to display records pertaining to their respective villages. Download the TOI App.
Tuition fees will now be paid directly to foreign universities; the earlier funding ceiling has been removed.
Despite the announcements, Jarange blamed chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde for delaying reservation benefits for the community and appealed to Marathas to assemble at Antarvali Sarati on Sept 12 to decide the next course of the agitation, including a possible march to Mumbai. The higher and technical education department has also released Rs 200 crore for pending Dr Punjabrao Deshmukh hostel maintenance allowances for EBC, EWS and SEBC students. Under one of the GRs, all educational benefits currently available to OBC students will be extended to Maratha students through the Directorate of Technical Education and universities from the next academic year. The funds have been made available through supplementary demands approved during the monsoon session.