Mumbai, Sep 23 (IANS): In the run-up to the upcoming Assembly election, the Maharashtra Cabinet on Monday approved a new cultural policy which has recommended making the Marathi language subject mandatory for a minimum of four years in all schools across the state.

The policy also proposed to make drawing a mandatory subject till Class 8 with additional marks on the lines of sports, if chosen for standard nine and ten.

According to the Cultural Policy, special monetary arrangements will be made for the conservation of folk art on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border. The policy has also recommended a 'Music University' of national level in the state.

A statement noted that the policy targeted 10 sectors, namely Craftsmanship, Language, Visual arts, Forts and Archeology, Folk arts, Music, Theatre, Dance, Films and Spiritual culture and has made recommendations regarding it. A committee headed by Vinay Sahastrabuddhe, former Rajya Sabha MP from BJP had prepared and submitted the policy to the state government.

The policy has suggested a master plan of 25 years for Marathi conservation; construction of Maharashtra state cultural bhavan; folk arts research and conservation centers in tribal districts and constructing Maharashtra folk art gallery; restarting of all closed down theaters and allowing use of MLA fund for theatre related issues; classical dance period in schools of all boards; reviving single screen film theaters; inclusion of literature of saints in the syllabus of schools and colleges and producing documentaries of state's religious culture.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Cabinet also cleared two proposals to set up corporations for economically weaker sections of the Brahmin and Rajput communities.

Parashuram Economic Development Corporation for Brahmins and Veer Shiromani Maharana Pratap Economic Development Corporation for Rajputs will each have Rs 50 crore seed capital.