Govt trying to mollify OBCs with student allowances, sops

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to implement the Gyan Jyoti Savitribai Phule Aadhar Yojana – a students’ welfare scheme that covers meal, accommodation and other expenses – for students from Other Backward Classes (OBC)

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to implement the Gyan Jyoti Savitribai Phule Aadhar Yojana – a students’ welfare scheme that covers meal, accommodation and other expenses – for students from Other Backward Classes (OBC). The government also took a slew of other decisions that are expected to mollify the OBC community in the wake of recent conflicts with Marathas over reservation in jobs and education. These include the allocation of ₹7,873 crore towards extending benefits of various welfare schemes to OBCs, and plans of starting 72 hostels for OBC students, including 52 hostels that are likely to launched by January-end.

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The decisions were taken during a meeting chaired by OBC welfare minister Atul Save, which was attended by representatives from various OBC organisations.

The Gyan Jyoti scheme, which has a ₹100 crore budget, will cover students who are studying outside their home district but do not have access to government-run hostels, said a government resolution issued by the OBC welfare department in the evening. “It will provide allowances for meals, private accommodation and other expenses and will benefit around 21,600 students. The amount will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of students,” said Dr Baban Taywade, president of the OBC Mahasangh.

The process of starting dedicated hostels for OBC students was also underway, Save told reporters after the meeting. “We are planning for 72 hostels for OBC students. Among them, 52 hostels will operate out of rental spaces, and we are hoping to start these in a month’s time,” he said.

OBCs are considered traditional voters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is part of the ruling alliance in the state with Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction).