Connect with us
Wednesday,22-January-2025
Breaking News

Maharashtra

In email era, Maha Deputy CM Ajit Pawar sends a postcard to President

Published

on

In the 21st century era of e-mail and instant messaging, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has relied on a nearly two-century-old means of communication to draw the attention of the President Ram Nath Kovind.

The oft-maverick Ajit Pawar – nephew of Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar – on Friday shot off a humble postcard to the Rashtrapati Bhavan on the long-pending issue of according the “classical language” status to Marathi.

In the neatly-typed postcard, Pawar has pointed out that although the Centre had taken the decision in 2004 to confer the “classical language” status to various languages, the Marathi language has been ignored despite repeated requests.

Even a high-level committee of language experts appointed by the Centre had unanimously approved a proposal to this effect seven years ago, but there has been no further progress in the matter, he said.

Pawar exhorted the President that it was necessary to grant the status of a “classical language” to Marathi as recommended even by the Sahitya Akademi, at the earliest.

“Marathi is not only an ancient language but also the state language, used by litterateurs, intellectuals, by people of religion besides the common masses, and ranks among the major languages in the world,” he pointed out.

Citing how there many documents which provide testimony that Marathi is a “classical language”, he urged the President to accord the status on priority.

Then, Pawar personally signed the postcard in green ink, mentioned his full residential address, affixed 2 stamps of Rs 3 each with the picture of the shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan, and it was ‘posted’.

Last year, the Maharashtra Legislature passed a unanimous resolution recommending to the Centre to accord the “classical language” status to Marathi.

In anticipation of the status, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in October cleared the proposal to construct a ‘Marathi Bhasha Bhavan’ on a 2,500 square metre plot in south Mumbai, which had been on the backburner for nearly eight years.

Coming up within the Jawahar Bal Bhavan complex at Marine Drive, the work on the centre is starting shortly with a completion target of 18 months, with a library, an expo centre, conference halls, etc, to promote the Marathi language.

During the tenure of Congress Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, a committee chaired by litterateur Rangnath Pathare had prepared a voluminous report running into 500 pages on the same issue.

The report had been forwarded to the government in July 2013, but the matter remained unresolved after the change of guard both at the Centre and the state.

The Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, which started in 1878, has demanded the “classical language” status for Marathi several times in the past.

Presently, there are six languages bestowed the status officially – Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia, based on various parameters.

This paves the way for two prestigious international-level awards for scholars of eminence in the Indian “classical language”, setting up centres of excellence for studies in these languages, the University Grants Commission creating or starting certain number of Professional Chairs in such languages besides dedicating various institutions for the same to promote the study and research in such “classical languages”.

Maharashtra

We will take initiative on the problems of Mumbai University – Ambadas Danve

Published

on

Mumbai: Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve said that the government will take initiative regarding the vacant posts of teachers in Mumbai University, enrollment of colleges, and pending development works by MMRDA. Today he visited the Kalina campus and took stock of the problems and current situation of the students.

Delay in development works of the university

An agreement was signed between Mumbai University and MMRDA for the beautification of the Kalina campus and construction of buildings for educational purposes. But this work has not been done till now and concerns were raised about the completion of these works.

Issue of safety of students

Every day five to six thousand students visit the Kalina campus, but incidents of attacks on female students are increasing due to outside elements. Also, the Bit Chowki near the main entrance was demolished in the name of widening the road, which increased the threat to the safety of girl students, this issue was raised by Senate member Sheetal Devrukhkar-Sheth.

Issue of cancellation of teacher recruitment

Instead of improving the quality of education, the decision to cancel the teacher recruitment is proving to be harmful for the students, Senate member Milind Satam reported.

Challenge to the international recognition of the university

Despite getting international recognition, the students are facing problems due to the problems of Mumbai University, which is unfortunate, said Ambadas Danve. Students from all over the country and abroad come here to study, so it is important to solve these problems, he said.

Vice Chancellor Dr. Ravindra Kulkarni, Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Ajay Bhamare, local MLA Vilas Potnis, Senate members Sheetal Devrukhkar-Sheth, Milind Satam, Kisan Sawant, Param Yadav and other dignitaries were present in this meeting.

Danve resolved to raise voice with the government on the problems of the university and play an active role in the interest of the students.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

‘Water Grid’ project for Marathwada: Gulabrao Patil

Published

on

Mumbai: The ‘Marathwada Water Grid’ scheme is being implemented to permanently solve the water shortage in Marathwada and ensure robust water supply. Under this project, 11 major dams of Marathwada will be connected through pipelines and drinking water will be provided to cities and villages across the region. Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil gave information about the project and said that this project will provide sustainable water supply to Marathwada.

The cooperation of global level banks will be taken to implement this scheme, Patil said. A review meeting was held with representatives of global banks in the ministry regarding this project. Many important officials including Principal Secretary of Water Supply and Sanitation Department Sanjay Khandare, Member Secretary of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran Abhishek Krishna, Chief Executive Officer of ‘Mitra’ Praveensinh Pardeshi, Director of Jal Jeevan Mission Abhiyan E Ravindran, and Secretary of Water Resources Department Sanjay Belsare were present in this meeting.

Long-term water supply to Marathwada will be ensured through this project. Along with this, as per the advice of the central government, the project will be set up and implemented by taking loans from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and New Development Bank. The implementation of the project will be coordinated by the ‘Mitra’ institution, as told by Minister Gulabrao Patil.

The ‘Mitra’ institution has taken the initiative to discuss the project further and coordinate with the concerned banks. Patil expressed confidence that the project will significantly help in solving the water problem of Marathwada.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

The state government is preparing to bring private kindergartens under its control

Published

on

Mumbai: The lack of educational facilities, midday meals for children, and proper implementation of government schemes in private schools running in the streets of the state has increased the concern of parents. As a measure against this, the School Education Department has started preparing a new manual to bring private schools under government control.

According to the new National Education Policy, pre-primary education for children between 3 and 6 years of age has been considered important, and it is proposed to include private schools in this policy as well. Currently, many schools running in the streets are running without any manual and are out of the control of the local administration. It has been assured that a suitable educational environment will be created for the children under this new rule of the Education Department.

Under the new regulations, educational curriculum for children will be implemented in the balwadis, along with midday meals and appropriate schemes for the physical and mental development of children. This is expected to provide quality education to the children.

It has not yet been decided which department will control these balwadis – the School Education Department, the Women and Child Welfare Department, and the Integrated Child Development Services Department. However, it is believed that this decision will reduce the anxiety of parents and improve the educational quality of children.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending