05 November,2023 02:02 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
Manoj Jarange. File Pic
Maratha quota: The administration in Thane district of Maharashtra has set up a special cell as per the directions of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to verify caste records for issuing Kunbi caste certificates to eligible persons from the Maratha community, an official said on Sunday, the PTI reported.
According to the PTI, the district Collector, Ashok Shingare, will monitor the work of the cell, which was set up on Saturday, and report the progress to the state authorities, an official press release stated.
The cell has been set up on the lines of the one in the Marathwada region and will verify the caste records based on which Kunbi caste certificates can be issued to eligible Marathas, it said.
Additional collector Manisha Jaibhaye-Dhule, SDOs and tehsildars are also working on war footing to complete the task in the district, the release said, as per the PTI.
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The chief minister had on Thursday said every district collector will be asked to deploy 10 officials from the collectorate staff to find old records based on which Kunbi caste certificates can be given to eligible Marathas.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who ended his indefinite fast after nine days on Thursday, had demanded that members of the community be given Kunbi caste certificates.
The Kunbi community already gets quota benefits in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra ministers Sandipan Bhumre and Atul Save on Saturday met Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange and handed him a copy of a document extending the scope of the Shinde Committee formed to study the feasibility of giving Kunbi certificates to community members.
"The Shinde committee's scope has been extended from Marathwada to all of Maharashtra," said Bhumre. Among the demands of Jarange is that Marathas be given Kunbi certificates so that they can get reservations under the Other Backward Classes segment.
The Eknath Shinde government had appointed a committee under retired judge Sandeep Shinde to study this demand. Jarange said, "It is good Marathas across the state will get Kunbi certificates. Our chain hunger strikes are on and we will not stop till we get a reservation."
(with PTI inputs)
