Daijiworld Media Network - Ahilyanagar

Ahilyanagar, May 6: In a landmark cabinet meeting held at Choundi, the birthplace of Ahilyabai Holkar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a series of welfare and development schemes inspired by the legacy of the iconic 18th-century queen, marking her tricentennial anniversary year.

Among the key decisions, the state will launch the Adi Shakti Campaign, a statewide women empowerment initiative aimed at tackling malnutrition, maternal and infant mortality, gender inequality, and child marriage. The campaign, to be run through the Women and Child Welfare Department, will also focus on education, financial inclusion, and violence-free community building. Gram panchayats demonstrating impactful execution of the campaign will receive awards. The initiative is backed by a Rs 10.5 crore allocation.

To uplift the Dhangar community, the government introduced the Yashwant Students Scheme, aimed at providing quality education to 10,000 students annually in premier institutions. Inspired by Raje Yashwantrao Holkar’s pioneering efforts in inclusive education, the scheme has a sanctioned budget of Rs 288.92 crore.

Additionally, new hostels named under the Ahilyabai Holkar Hostel Scheme will be constructed in key cities including Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, and Nagpur to support post-matric Dhangar students. Each facility will accommodate 200 students—100 boys and 100 girls.

A special ?75 crore heritage water revival project was also greenlit to restore traditional water systems and reservoirs developed under Ahilyabai Holkar’s reign. The plan includes the preservation of lakes, wells, ghats, and reservoirs in areas like Chandwad, Trimbakeshwar, and Jejuri.

Medical infrastructure received a boost with the approval of a government medical college and 430-bed hospital at Ahilyanagar, named after Ahilyabai Holkar, with a budget of Rs 486.08 crore. Land and manpower will be provided by the state.

Further honoring Ahilyabai’s legacy, Rs 5503.69 crore has been allocated for the restoration of six temples and a memorial dedicated to her. The Cabinet also sanctioned an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) for Women in Ahilyanagar and a civil court in Rahuri.

Lastly, the duration of Mission Managram, under the Village Social Transformation Foundation, has been extended to 2028, reaffirming the government’s long-term rural development agenda.

These decisions reflect the state’s commitment to preserving historical legacies while addressing present-day social and economic challenges.