Pune: The state government has announced an increase in honorarium for board chairpersons working on language, and a ₹10 lakh grant for ‘C’ grade Marathi films under the Marathi Film Production Aid Scheme.

These decisions were made just days before the election code of conduct is set to come into effect.

On October 3, the central government granted Marathi the status of a classical language, along with Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. This decision comes after a prolonged two-decade wait.

The Maharashtra government had submitted its proposal for Marathi in 2013, but it was only now, with the upcoming assembly elections, that the declaration was made.

Previously, five other languages—Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam—had been granted classical status. Despite various movements and protests by literary organizations like the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad (MSP), the recognition for Marathi had remained pending.

In addition, the state government has also increased the monthly honorarium for the chairpersons of three important language-related boards to ₹50,000.

The boards include the State Literature and Culture Board, the Language Advisory Committee, and the Encyclopedia Creation Board. This decision ensures that these chairpersons now receive a more respectable salary, bringing parity among these key cultural institutions.

Furthermore, the government has introduced a new category under the Marathi Film Production Aid Scheme, providing a ₹10 lakh grant for ‘C’ grade Marathi films.

This initiative, along with the provision of ₹5 lakh for female directors of award-winning Marathi films, is aimed at boosting film production in the state. These measures, effective from January 2024, are expected to provide significant support to the Marathi film industry.

Lastly, after 18 years, the honorarium for judges in the state drama competition has been increased, with amateur judges' fees raised to ₹900 per play and professional judges’ fees doubled to ₹1,600.