MUMBAI: Ahead of the BMC elections, Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi took a slew of decisions on Wednesday aimed at wooing the ‘Marathi Manoos’.
The Maharashtra cabinet approved amendment to the Shops and Establishments Act making it mandatory for shops and business establishments having ten or more employees to display the nameplates in Marathi along with other languages such as English and Hindi. It was legally mandatory to do so earlier, too.
But most shop owners display the name in other languages prominently while that in Marathi figures in a very small size that is not visible from a distance.
After this amendment, the shop owners will have to display the name in Marathi in the same or bigger size as other languages.
In another decision, the use of national and spiritual icons in naming bars and wine shops has been barred.
These establishments cannot use Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj fort or other structures to name bars and wine shops. Marathi language minister Subhash Desai has welcomed the decisions.
The cabinet also okayed the proposal to waive off property tax of apartments measuring 500 sq ft or 46.45 sq metre and less in Mumbai.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had made the announcement on December 31 as a New Year gift to Mumbaikars.
The waiver will benefit 16.14 lakh residential property owners in Mumbai.
However, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will lose Rs 417 crore while the state government will suffer a revenue loss of Rs 45 crore.