Maha-Karnataka border dispute: Fadnavis chairs meeting

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Saturday chaired a high-powered committee meeting on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute and discussed various legal issues.

A statement from the chief minister's office said state Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil, Industries Minister Subhash Desai and Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde attended the meeting.

Speaking to reporters later, Munde said the meeting was held for the first time in two years after the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti and he followed up on it.

"Positive discussion was held on many issues. The ekikaran samiti representatives and I demanded that Maratha youth residing in the 865 villages situated in Karnataka along the Maharashtra border, (claimed by the latter) be included in the 16 per cent Maratha quota for jobs and education," Munde said.

He said there was also a demanded to provide benefits of schemes of the state's Annabhau Sathe Financial Development Corporation to these youth.

Fees of lawyers representing the state in the border dispute being heard in the Supreme Court and presence of Maharashtra ministers and bureaucrats during the hearing in SC were also discussed, Munde said.