October 9, 2025: The Maharashtra government has fast-tracked plans to establish hostels, offices, and study centres for students from Other Backward Classes (OBC) in every district of the state. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has directed all district collectors to identify suitable government land and submit proposals ahead of the next review meeting scheduled for 28 October.
The move comes under the Central Government’s Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatra Awas Yojana, aimed at providing safe accommodation and educational facilities for OBC students. In a high-level meeting held at Mantralaya, Minister Bawankule instructed districts that have yet to finalise land for hostel construction to expedite the process. To streamline implementation, land measurement fees will be waived, and officials have been tasked with ensuring Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT) beneficiaries receive identity cards, certificates, and welfare benefits promptly.
The minister highlighted the urgency of initiating hostels in Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban districts. Ten districts — including Nanded, Dhule, Sindhudurg, Solapur, Sangli, Dharashiv, Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Washim, Chandrapur, and Gondia — will provide land through the Dairy Development Department, while Satara will utilise land from the Animal Husbandry Department.
District-level updates reveal varying stages of progress: Nashik aims to finalise land within seven days, Beed within fifteen days, while Ahmednagar and Kolhapur have already identified locations, with proposals due in two weeks. Sambhajinagar and Jalgaon are still locating suitable plots, and discussions are ongoing with CIDCO for Raigad and Thane. In Latur, grazing land in Gangapur has been earmarked, and Hingoli will utilise land from the GST department. The government has also approved the construction of separate hostels for Nagpur city and rural areas.
The initiative represents a significant step towards educational inclusion, offering OBC students safe accommodation and a conducive learning environment, while reinforcing equitable access to higher education across Maharashtra.
Source: The Free Press Journal
