<p>Nagpur: An organisation representing OBC communities here on Thursday ended its six-day-old protest, after an assurance from the Maharashtra government that their reservation would not be affected by a decision on the Maratha quota.</p>.<p>State OBC Welfare Minister Atul Save met the protesters and assured them that the reservation of the Other Backward Classes "will remain untouched".</p>.<p>"The government is fully committed to protecting the existing reservation of the OBC community," he said.</p>.Maratha quota stir | 'Who will pay for damage caused to public properties': Bombay High Court asks Manoj Jarange.<p>Save visited the agitation site on behalf of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs.</p>.<p>The Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh launched the chain hunger strike at the Samvidhan Chowk in Nagpur on August 30, a day after activist Manoj Jarange began his indefinite fast at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to press for the Maratha quota demand.</p>.<p>Jarange ended his five-day-old fast on Tuesday after the government accepted most of his demands, including granting eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, which will allow them to avail of quota in education and jobs enjoyed by Other Backward Classes (OBCs).</p>.<p>The government has announced forming a committee to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Maratha community members with historical evidence of their Kunbi heritage, a social group classified as an OBC in the state.</p>.<p>The Rashtriya OBC Sangh had been protesting against inclusion of the Maratha community in the OBC category.</p>.<p>They had put forth 14 demands, including non-inclusion of Marathas in the OBC category and no blanket issuance of Kunbi certificates to all Maratha community members.</p>.<p>Addressing the protesters, Save said, "The OBC quota will remain untouched. The government is fully committed to protecting the existing reservation of the OBC community." He said the government has reached a consensus on Maratha reservation without any disturbance to the OBC quota.</p>.<p>Save assured the Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh that 12 out of their 14 demands will be considered by the government. The other two demands will be taken up in a meeting (of government) in Mumbai next week and a solution to it will also be found, he said.</p>.<p>After the minister's assurance, the OBC body's national president, Baban Taywade, said they have ended the protest.</p>.<p>BJP MLC Parinay Fuke was also present at the site.</p>.<p>Responding to demands raised by OBC leaders, Save said the government would hold discussions with banks about relaxation of the mandatory CIBIL scores for applicants seeking financial assistance for businesses and entrepreneurship.</p>.<p>"The number of guarantors required for an OBC applicant has already been reduced from two to one, and we will implement this effectively," he added.</p>.<p>The minister further pointed out that CM Fadnavis had set up 18 different development corporations in the state to implement targeted programmes for various communities.</p>.<p>"In the first stage, each corporation was given Rs 5 crore. This year, the allocation has been increased to nearly Rs 50 crore each. The state government plans to provide nearly Rs 200 crore to these corporations to ensure they work efficiently," he said.</p>.<p>A total of 22 development corporations have been formed, and communities are expected to receive nearly Rs 1,200 crore through them and related schemes, Save added. PTI CLS ND GK</p>
<p>Nagpur: An organisation representing OBC communities here on Thursday ended its six-day-old protest, after an assurance from the Maharashtra government that their reservation would not be affected by a decision on the Maratha quota.</p>.<p>State OBC Welfare Minister Atul Save met the protesters and assured them that the reservation of the Other Backward Classes "will remain untouched".</p>.<p>"The government is fully committed to protecting the existing reservation of the OBC community," he said.</p>.Maratha quota stir | 'Who will pay for damage caused to public properties': Bombay High Court asks Manoj Jarange.<p>Save visited the agitation site on behalf of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs.</p>.<p>The Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh launched the chain hunger strike at the Samvidhan Chowk in Nagpur on August 30, a day after activist Manoj Jarange began his indefinite fast at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to press for the Maratha quota demand.</p>.<p>Jarange ended his five-day-old fast on Tuesday after the government accepted most of his demands, including granting eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, which will allow them to avail of quota in education and jobs enjoyed by Other Backward Classes (OBCs).</p>.<p>The government has announced forming a committee to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Maratha community members with historical evidence of their Kunbi heritage, a social group classified as an OBC in the state.</p>.<p>The Rashtriya OBC Sangh had been protesting against inclusion of the Maratha community in the OBC category.</p>.<p>They had put forth 14 demands, including non-inclusion of Marathas in the OBC category and no blanket issuance of Kunbi certificates to all Maratha community members.</p>.<p>Addressing the protesters, Save said, "The OBC quota will remain untouched. The government is fully committed to protecting the existing reservation of the OBC community." He said the government has reached a consensus on Maratha reservation without any disturbance to the OBC quota.</p>.<p>Save assured the Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh that 12 out of their 14 demands will be considered by the government. The other two demands will be taken up in a meeting (of government) in Mumbai next week and a solution to it will also be found, he said.</p>.<p>After the minister's assurance, the OBC body's national president, Baban Taywade, said they have ended the protest.</p>.<p>BJP MLC Parinay Fuke was also present at the site.</p>.<p>Responding to demands raised by OBC leaders, Save said the government would hold discussions with banks about relaxation of the mandatory CIBIL scores for applicants seeking financial assistance for businesses and entrepreneurship.</p>.<p>"The number of guarantors required for an OBC applicant has already been reduced from two to one, and we will implement this effectively," he added.</p>.<p>The minister further pointed out that CM Fadnavis had set up 18 different development corporations in the state to implement targeted programmes for various communities.</p>.<p>"In the first stage, each corporation was given Rs 5 crore. This year, the allocation has been increased to nearly Rs 50 crore each. The state government plans to provide nearly Rs 200 crore to these corporations to ensure they work efficiently," he said.</p>.<p>A total of 22 development corporations have been formed, and communities are expected to receive nearly Rs 1,200 crore through them and related schemes, Save added. PTI CLS ND GK</p>