Centre requested to rename Bombay HC as HC Mumbai

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today said that the state government had requested the Centre to rename the Bombay High Court as the High Court, Mumbai.

Replying to the budgetary demands of the Marathi language department in the Legislative Assembly, Chavan said, the state government had so far written eight to nine letters to the Centre in this regard. "We will follow up the matter," he added.

Chavan said the Marathi Bhasha Bhavan will be set up at the Rang Bhavan in South Mumbai. Such bhavans will also be set up at Nashik and Amravati, he added.

He said 29 out of the total 45 new posts created in the Marathi language department, have been filled.

The budget for the department has been increased from Rs13 crore to Rs26 crore this year, he added.

Chavan said, the Rangnath Pathare Committee, set up to prepare the state government's proposal to the Centre to grant classical language status to Marathi language, will submit its report within three months.

While replying to the budgetary demands of the rural development department, Minister of State for Rural Development Satej Patil said, the government is considering a move of not allowing newly-elected gram panchayat members to participate in the panchayat proceedings, till they complete the three-day training course within nine months of their election.

"This will help in improving the quality and standards of the functioning of the panchayats," he added.