Maharashtra Day celebrated

Mumbai: On the 55th anniversary of Maharashtra’s formation, which falls on International Labour day, Governor Vidyasagar Rao said that the state government had expressed its resolve to make Maharashtra drought-free by using water efficiently.

In his Maharashtra Day address at a state function, he said, “More Crop per Drop will be the guiding motto of the government. The state government is implementing the Jalyukta Shivar Yojana [water conservation project], under which water harvesting storages will be created in villages with the participation of gram sabhas [village committees].”

To make this ambitious initiative a success, the government will also seek the cooperation of corporations to take up these schemes as part of their corporate social responsibility.

The government has plans to make 5,000 villages drought-free through this scheme, he said. “The state government has also decided to widen the coverage of the Crop Insurance Scheme,” he added.

Rao also said the Make in Maharashtra mission has been receiving excellent response from investors. “Following the chief minister’s visit to Germany and Sweden, many companies are keen to invest in Maharashtra while major global companies such as General Electric, Volkswagen, Mercedes, and others have expressed their willingness to expand their base in Maharashtra.”

Under the Late Pramod Mahajan Skill Development Scheme, German company Bosch will be taking over 25 industrial training institutes in the state to provide state-of-the-art vocational training to students, he said.

While several functions were held across the city and state to mark the day, Shiv Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the state, promised to “always protect the unity and integrity of the state.”

In an allusion to the BJP, which has in the past demanded separate statehood for the Vidarbha region, the Shiv Sena said that the state’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavisis in favour of smaller states. In an edit in the party mouthpiece Saamna, the Sena said, “It’s an honour to be the CM [Chief Minister] of Maharashtra, whether the incumbent hails from Vidarbha, Marathwada, Konkan … And Maharashtra will remain united under any circumstances.”

The Saamna stated, “Shiv Sena was born only to protect Maharashtra” and urged Fadnavis to work for the progress and prosperity of the entire state “as the situation is not very rosy currently. The people must benefit from the BJP-SS rule in the state.

“We breathe only to protect the Marathi ‘pride’ and the entire state, including Mumbai, the commercial capital, must remain united.”