📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
Politics
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis Extends Marathi Training Deadline for Drivers, Says Raut
✍️ Mid-Day
🗓 28 Aug 2026, 11:02 PM
👁 2
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has postponed the deadline for mandatory Marathi language training for commercial drivers, alleging that the decision was taken under pressure from the central government, party spokesperson Raut said.
Maharashtra's chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, announced an extension of the cut‑off date for the compulsory Marathi language program that commercial drivers are required to complete. The original schedule, which aimed to ensure that drivers operating within the state could communicate in the regional language, has been pushed back by a few weeks.
The change was publicly attributed to what Fadnavis described as "pressure from Delhi," suggesting that the central government's stance on the matter influenced the state government's timeline. The claim was made by party spokesperson Raut, who said the state needed more time to address concerns raised by the union.
Transport officials have been asked to inform all affected drivers about the revised timeline and to facilitate additional training sessions to meet the new deadline. No new date was disclosed, but authorities indicated that the revised schedule would be communicated through official circulars.
The move has drawn mixed reactions from driver associations, some of which welcomed the additional time, while others called for a clearer policy framework that balances regional language promotion with practical operational needs.
Mid‑Day reported the development, noting that the issue reflects broader tensions between state language initiatives and central policy considerations.
The change was publicly attributed to what Fadnavis described as "pressure from Delhi," suggesting that the central government's stance on the matter influenced the state government's timeline. The claim was made by party spokesperson Raut, who said the state needed more time to address concerns raised by the union.
Transport officials have been asked to inform all affected drivers about the revised timeline and to facilitate additional training sessions to meet the new deadline. No new date was disclosed, but authorities indicated that the revised schedule would be communicated through official circulars.
The move has drawn mixed reactions from driver associations, some of which welcomed the additional time, while others called for a clearer policy framework that balances regional language promotion with practical operational needs.
Mid‑Day reported the development, noting that the issue reflects broader tensions between state language initiatives and central policy considerations.