Auto permits in Mumbai: 5% reservation for mill workers, women

The Maharashtra government yesterday announced five per cent reservation for mill workers and their kin in seeking autorickshaw permits.

Transport Minister Diwakar Raote said that though the government's decision to make knowledge of Marathi language compulsory for auto permits was welcomed by all sectors, several permits went to non-Marathi speaking candidates. "So we decided to come up with reservation for Marathi people who have contributed to the development of Mumbai," Raote said.

"Apart from the 52 per cent reservations we had announced earlier, women will have 5 per cent reservation, mill workers will have 5 per cent, and kin of 105 martyrs who laid their lives for Samyukta Maharashtra (with Mumbai) will have reservation," he said.