Mumbai: Under pressure from Congress, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan deferred his Cabinet's decision on changing the income limit for higher education fee waivers.
The Maharashtra unit of Congress had demanded scrapping of the Cabinet's decision to fix upper income limit of Rs 2 lakh per annum for scholarships and fee concessions to backward class students.
A delegation headed by state unit president Manikrao Thakre met Chavan last night and the issue was discussed in the pre-Cabinet meeting of the Congress ministers this morning, sources said.
Congress ministers wanted that the Government Resolution (GR) of 2006, which did not have income limit for SC and ST students and a limit of Rs 4.5 lakh for nomadic tribe students, Special Backward Classes and OBCs, be retained.
Ministers Nitin Raut and Narayan Rane told the Chief Minister that considering the possible political implications, the Cabinet's decision should be reviewed, sources added.
After Chavan said that the decision on the issue would be deferred, there was no further discussion, sources said.
As per the 2006 GR, SC and ST students with an annual family income above Rs two lakh were given 100 per cent exam fee reimbursement while students with lesser family income could avail scholarships as per the central government scheme.
Last week, the Cabinet decided to discontinue with the 100 per cent fee waiver. The upper income limit for tuition and exam fee reimbursement for nomadic tribes, Special Backward Class and OBCs was reduced from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. Higher and Technical Education Department (a portfolio held by NCP) had put up this proposal.
Meanwhile, activists of RPI (Athavale) group shouted slogans against the government outside the sixth floor chamber of the Chief Minister at Mantralaya here, protesting the scrapping of 'freeships' in education for backward class students and the delay in handing over Indu Mill land for a memorial of B R Ambedkar.
In another development, a proposal of the Urban Development Department to grant financial powers to Mayors and appoint them as ex-officio chairman of the standing committee was put on the back-burner in today's Cabinet meeting, with Narayan Rane (Congress) and Jayant Patil (NCP) questioning the need for the step.
Both Ministers said detailed and comprehensive study was required for making such a drastic amendment.
The Maharashtra unit of Congress had demanded scrapping of the Cabinet's decision to fix upper income limit of Rs 2 lakh per annum for scholarships and fee concessions to backward class students.
A delegation headed by state unit president Manikrao Thakre met Chavan last night and the issue was discussed in the pre-Cabinet meeting of the Congress ministers this morning, sources said.
Congress ministers wanted that the Government Resolution (GR) of 2006, which did not have income limit for SC and ST students and a limit of Rs 4.5 lakh for nomadic tribe students, Special Backward Classes and OBCs, be retained.
Ministers Nitin Raut and Narayan Rane told the Chief Minister that considering the possible political implications, the Cabinet's decision should be reviewed, sources added.
After Chavan said that the decision on the issue would be deferred, there was no further discussion, sources said.
As per the 2006 GR, SC and ST students with an annual family income above Rs two lakh were given 100 per cent exam fee reimbursement while students with lesser family income could avail scholarships as per the central government scheme.
Last week, the Cabinet decided to discontinue with the 100 per cent fee waiver. The upper income limit for tuition and exam fee reimbursement for nomadic tribes, Special Backward Class and OBCs was reduced from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. Higher and Technical Education Department (a portfolio held by NCP) had put up this proposal.
Meanwhile, activists of RPI (Athavale) group shouted slogans against the government outside the sixth floor chamber of the Chief Minister at Mantralaya here, protesting the scrapping of 'freeships' in education for backward class students and the delay in handing over Indu Mill land for a memorial of B R Ambedkar.
In another development, a proposal of the Urban Development Department to grant financial powers to Mayors and appoint them as ex-officio chairman of the standing committee was put on the back-burner in today's Cabinet meeting, with Narayan Rane (Congress) and Jayant Patil (NCP) questioning the need for the step.
Both Ministers said detailed and comprehensive study was required for making such a drastic amendment.
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