Adhering to the Bombay High Court order, the Maharashtra government has finally made Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commission (MSBCC) report on the Maratha quota public. The over 1000-page report which was submitted in November 2018, establishes the ‘social and educational’ backwardness of the Maratha community.
Based on the report, the Maharashtra government had passed a Bill proposing 16% reservation in government jobs and education for Marathas on November 30.
“On the basis of the analysis of the Sample Survey data, information and statistics it is found that Maratha Class of Citizens in the State are socially, educationally and economically backward as the Community obtained weightage of 21.5 Marks out of the Maximum 25. In each of the three aspect of Backwardness too the Maratha Community obtains more than 50% Marks; Social: 7.5/10, Educational: 8/8 and Economic: 6/7.”MSBCC Report
Social Standing Of Marathas
While compiling the report, MSBCC found that around 78. 86 per cent of Maratha families were engaged in agriculture and agricultural labour. Gathering data on the homes built by the community members brought the committee to the conclusion that 71 per cent Maratha families live in shelters made from grass and wastes, kuccha houses and semi pucca houses with no amenities.
Out of 43269 families surveyed by the Commission, 345 people have committed suicide from all caste groups during last 10 years. Out of these 345 people, 277 were found to be from Maratha families. That is a whopping 80.28%.
“The suicides in Maratha community are found to be directly related to their degrading social status, depleting educational opportunities in the reservation regimen of which they are not beneficiaries and deteriorating economic condition thanks to the crisis in the agriculture sector in the state where only they have large presence, involvement and stake.”MSBCC Report
Data collected from district collectors between 2013-18 revealed that out of 13,368 farmer suicides committed during the period, at least 2151 farmers belonged to the Maratha community and 99.8 per cent suicides were a result of debts and agricultural distress.
The report also states that 21 per cent Maratha families have migrated in the last 10 years due to the lack of avenues to diversify their means of livelihood. At least 52 per cent of these migrant families are engaged in physical labour. Just 17 per cent migrants are employed in private services.
Education & Employment
The MSBCC in its survey, found that while 13.42 per cent respondents from the Maratha community are illiterate, just 6.71 per cent of them have completed graduation and post graduation.
It was found that, “on an average, only 4.30 per cent academic and teaching posts are occupied by the highly educated academicians from out of 30 per cent Maratha population across the State”. This was applicable across all faculty streams.
“Lack of even conventional degree level education is landing them in lowly labour oriented wage employment and self-employments; Mathadi, Hamal, Dabbewalas, Maid Servants, Agricultural Labour, Sugarcane cutting labour.”MSBCC Report
In civil services, representation of Maratha IAS cadres was found to be 6.92 per cent. In IPS cadre, 15.92 per cent were from the community.
Economic Status
The report states that 93 per cent of Maratha families earn just Rs 1 lakh annually.
“The percentage of yellow ration card holders (issued to the families having income up to Rs 15,000 p.a) has been found to be 21.97 per cent in Maratha community while Orange Ration card holders issued to the families having annual income of more than Rs 15,000 and but less than Rs 1 lakh is 70.97 per cent. This yields to the conclusion that around 93 per cent of the Maratha families have an annual income of Rs 1 lakh.”MSBCC Report
The survey found 37.28 per cent Maratha families to be below poverty line against the state average of 24.2 per cent. Some of the reasons for this was found to be low income compounded by unsatisfactory farm yields and unpredictable monsoon.
While agriculture may be the most popular choice of profession, but only 71 per cent Maratha families were found to be landless and marginal farmers with land ownership of less than 2.5 acres. Only 2.7 per cent hold about 10 acres of land.
The panel finally concluded that Marathas are educationally and socially backward, and are thus entitled to reservation.
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