Maha govt to move resolution against farm laws

Rejection of the three central agriculture laws is one of the three resolutions approved by the Maharashtra cabinet on Sunday which will be moved in the monsoon session of the state legislature beginning Monday, sources said.

The council of ministers also gave its nod to a resolution requesting the Centre to decide about restoration of the quota for Marathas in government jobs and education.

Another resolution approved by the cabinet is asking the Centre to furnish population data of OBCs based on the 2011 census so that political reservations for members of other backward classes in local bodies can stay.

These three resolutions are likely to be moved in both the Houses of the state legislature on Monday, sources said.

Farmers have been camping at Delhi's borders since November 2020 with their demands that the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

In May this year, the Supreme Court struck down the Maharashtra law granting quota to Marathas in admissions and government jobs.

The apex court had also quashed quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local bodies after observing that the total number of seats earmarked for various communities, including SC and ST etc, should not exceed 50 per cent of its total strength.

The cabinet also discussed the suicide of an MPSC (Maharashtra Public Service Commission) aspirant in Pune.

A detailed statement on why the MPSC examinations are not being held will be made on the floor of both the Houses, sources added.

Depressed over the delay in conducting the final MPSC interview due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Swapneel Lonkar, 24, allegedly hanged himself at his house in Pune's Hadapsar area on June 30, Pune police said on Sunday.