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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Maratha quota stir poised for revival

Manoj Jarange issues August ultimatum as CM cites record certificate distribution Mumbai: Maharashtra is bracing for renewed political turbulence as the Maratha quota agitation threatens to engulf the state once again. Prominent activist Manoj Jarange Patil has sounded a clarion call for a final, decisive protest beginning August 29, marking the third anniversary of the community’s relentless struggle. In stark contrast, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stepped in to defuse the escalating...

Maratha quota stir poised for revival

Manoj Jarange issues August ultimatum as CM cites record certificate distribution Mumbai: Maharashtra is bracing for renewed political turbulence as the Maratha quota agitation threatens to engulf the state once again. Prominent activist Manoj Jarange Patil has sounded a clarion call for a final, decisive protest beginning August 29, marking the third anniversary of the community’s relentless struggle. In stark contrast, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stepped in to defuse the escalating tensions, asserting that the government remains highly responsive to the community’s demands and that the pendency of caste certificates is virtually negligible. Addressing a massive press conference at Antarwali Sarati in the Jalna district of Marathwada, Jarange Patil expressed deep frustration with the state administration. He accused the government of deliberately deceiving the Maratha community and employing delaying tactics. According to the activist, the state has discovered approximately 58 lakh Kunbi caste records, yet the administration continues to withhold vital Kunbi certificates from eligible Maratha community members. Issuing a stern ultimatum, he demanded that caste certificates based on the Hyderabad gazette be issued to all rightful beneficiaries by August 28. Failing this, he warned, a massive mobilization will commence from every village across the state starting August 19. He passionately stated that the community has been sacrificing its blood for the youth for three years and will not back down until the issue reaches a logical conclusion. Robust Defence Countering these allegations, CM Fadnavis presented a robust defence of the Mahayuti government’s track record while speaking to the media in Nagpur. He emphasised that caste certificates are processed and issued promptly upon request. He firmly stated that everyone who has applied for a caste certificate has received it, adding that the number of pending cases is exceedingly low. Fadnavis dismissed the notion that certificates are being arbitrarily denied, reinforcing that the current administration has made and executed more pro-Maratha decisions than any previous government. He maintained a conciliatory tone, noting that the administration remains open to dialogue and is willing to find constructive solutions if any genuine grievances persist. Progress Report The state government’s claims are corroborated by the latest progress report from the Justice Sandeep Shinde committee, which was established to oversee the distribution of Maratha-Kunbi, Kunbi-Maratha, and Kunbi certificates. As of July 27, 2026, the data from the Divisional Commissionerate in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar paints a picture of swift administrative action in Marathwada. Out of a total of 311,609 applications received, a staggering 311,033 applicants have been successfully issued Kunbi certificates. Only 515 applications faced rejection, while a mere 61 remain pending across the division. Furthermore, officials noted that 72,012 certificates have been distributed in the region from September 2025 to the present date. A district-wise analysis of the Marathwada region highlights this extensive distribution network. In Beed district, the administration achieved a near-perfect clearance rate, distributing 206,789 certificates against 206,799 applications, with zero pending files currently. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar saw 25,211 certificates issued from 25,295 applications, leaving only 15 pending. Similarly, Jalna district processed 18,128 applications to distribute 18,053 certificates, with just 13 awaiting approval. Parbhani and Hingoli districts reported the distribution of 20,832 and 13,286 certificates, respectively, with negligible pendency. Nanded district cleared all its 4,841 applications with no backlog, while Latur and Dharashiv districts successfully distributed 2,751 and 19,281 certificates, respectively. Demands’ Charter Despite these administrative milestones, Jarange Patil has expanded his charter of demands, intensifying his critique of the state’s welfare mechanisms. He has now called for the creation of a dedicated Maratha welfare department, questioning why the Maratha community cannot have a separate ministry similar to the one existing for OBCs. He alleged that nine ministers in the current coalition are actively opposing this proposal, threatening to expose their names during the mega rally on August 29. Furthermore, he lashed out at the government over the systemic failure in implementing existing welfare schemes. He claimed that despite official resolutions granting Maratha students parity with OBC students, educational institutions are not enforcing these benefits at the school and college levels. He also accused the state of shutting down initiatives under the Sarathi institute and noted that flawed loan processes under the Annasaheb Patil Corporation are turning into bad debts, effectively ruining the CIBIL scores of young entrepreneurs. Capping off his grievances, Jarange Patil alleged a discriminatory bias in government recruitment, questioning the state administration over what he termed an “apartheid” against Maratha candidates.

Boon To Working Middle Class

Updated: Feb 3, 2025

Working Middle Class

Year after year the union budget continues to be a very popular event in the country, especially for the working middle class, more importantly for the salaried and the MSME business class. The budget speech is generally divided into two parts. The First part mainly covers various budget allocations to different sectors of the economy of the country. The second part generally deals with the provisions of personal and corporate income tax which affects the entire middle class of the country. It also deals with indirect taxes i.e the customs duty and GST. However, in the recent past, it has been noticed that the GST provisions are amended almost throughout the year. Hence the main focus as far as the working middle class is concerned is on the provisions of the personal income tax.


New income tax Bill to be introduced

This year’s budget speech was no exception as the first part dealt with budget allocations to several key sectors like promoting skillful indigenous manufacturing, Education, Health Care, urban development and financial sector. Right at the beginning of the second part, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that a new Income Tax Bill will be introduced in a week’s time. So, the nation can expect a completely new income tax act that can come into force very soon. The objective of the new Income Tax bill is to simplify the Act. The present Income Tax Act, 1961 is considered by many as an ambiguously worded complex text which has led to a lot of litigations on its interpretational aspect in the past. The new bill is expected to be worded in a very simple manner.


Amendments to personal income tax

The Finance Minister proposed some very beneficial income tax provisions right towards the end of her budget speech. For several years now, the middle class which has been the major contributor to the personal income tax collection in the country has been demanding a lower rate of income tax. This demand has mainly triggered from the high inflation rate, the higher cost of living and the reduced spending capacity of the middle class owing to the fact that a substantial portion of their salaries is used up in payment of high taxes. A lower personal income tax rate would result into a sizable disposable income in the hands of the middle class which would result in higher spending which in turn would trigger the economic growth that the PM Narendra Modi has been envisaging for a very long time.


The amount of income up to which no tax shall be payable was Rs 5 lakhs in 2023. This amount was increased to Rs. 7 lakhs in the Finance Act. 2024. This amount has further been increased to a whopping 12 lakhs in the current budget. This has come as a big relief to all the middle-class people who have income up to 12 lakhs. Hence a person having total taxable income upto Rs 12 lakhs will not be required to pay any income tax. In fact, a salaried taxpayer will not be required to pay any tax where his income before standard deduction is less than or equal to Rs.12,75,000. The new tax slabs are also expected to reduce the tax burden of persons having income in excess of Rs.12 lakhs. The basic exemption limit has also been increased from 2.5 lakhs to 4 lakhs. This means that a person having total taxable income up to ₹4,00,000 need not file an income tax return at all. However, it is worth noting that persons having income between 4 lakhs to 12 lakhs must file a return of income and claim a rebate. They will not be required to pay any tax though.


In case of senior citizens, the threshold above which TDS is required to be deducted on interest on fixed deposits has been raised from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1,00,000. The provision to claim two house properties as self-occupied properties without any condition is also a welcome amendment. Also, In the previous budget a new provision to file an updated return was introduced wherein a taxpayer could file his or her return of income upon payment of the taxes up to two years from the end of the year. After having received a positive response with over 90 lakhs updated returns being filed in the past year. The period of filing such updated returns has been extended from 2 to 4 years.


Rationalisation of TDS limits

Businesses are also expected to benefit from a reduction in the compliance by rationalization of TDS limits on payment of rent, professional fees, commission etc. Small charitable trusts should also benefit from lesser compliance by the extension of the validity of their registration from 5 years to 10 years. On one hand the working middle class will be happy with the reduction in their tax burden and on the other they will also be hoping that the huge spending will result in employment, good infrastructure and better living conditions.

(The author is a Chartered Accountant based in Mumbai.)

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