'You Will Know When The Time Comes': Sunetra Pawar Keeps NCP Merger Suspense Alive

Pune: Amid growing speculation over a possible merger of the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar on Wednesday maintained suspense over the political developments, saying that the time was not yet right to reveal anything. Acknowledging the media's curiosity about a proposed reunion of the two NCP factions, she said, “I know that all of you are more curious about a different subject today. Nevertheless, I would like to tell you all that when the time comes, you will come to know everything.”

Her remarks came towards the end of a special press conference in Baramati, which was primarily organised to announce the Maharashtra Government's eight-day programme marking the 151st birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda. While Sunetra Pawar did not elaborate on the possibility of a merger, her closing statement kept the political speculation alive, particularly amid renewed interactions between leaders of the two NCP factions.

The Deputy Chief Minister neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of a merger, choosing instead to leave the question unanswered. Her acknowledgement that the media was keen to know about the political developments underlined the growing interest surrounding the future of the NCP.

‘Janajatiya Gaurav Diwas’ to Be Celebrated Across Maharashtra

Sunetra Pawar announced that November 15, the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, would be celebrated as Janajatiya Gaurav Diwas (Tribal Pride Day) across Maharashtra.

To mark his 151st birth anniversary, the State Government will organise an eight-day ‘Gaurav Seva Saptah’ (Tribal Pride Service Week) from November 11 to 18 across the state.

Explaining the significance of the occasion, she said, “Bhagwan Birsa Munda fought for the rights of the tribal community and for the protection of water, forests and land. His contribution to India’s freedom struggle is unparalleled. His sacrifice and social reform work are extremely inspirational for Maharashtra and the entire country.”

Emphasising that Birsa Munda's legacy goes beyond the tribal community, she said, “He is not merely a revered figure of the tribal community but is worshipped by all Indians. That is why he is also known as Dharti Aaba.”

The state-level celebrations will include programmes highlighting the contributions of tribal freedom fighters, government welfare initiatives and efforts towards the overall development of tribal communities.

Pune to Organise Health Camps, Tribal Fairs and Awareness Programmes

In Pune district, the Integrated Tribal Development Project office at Ghodegaon will organise a series of activities throughout the eight-day service week.

The programmes will include the distribution of cheques to beneficiaries of government schemes, cleanliness drives at memorials, Deepotsav celebrations, a wild vegetable festival, cultural programmes, tribal gatherings, health and nutrition awareness camps, and service camps to help people obtain Aadhaar cards and other essential government documents.

Sunetra Pawar said the activities were aimed at taking government schemes directly to tribal communities and ensuring that eligible beneficiaries could access the available assistance.

She appealed to tribal communities, women, youth, elected representatives and voluntary organisations to participate in large numbers.

“I appeal to the tribal brothers and sisters, women, youth, public representatives and voluntary organisations to participate in large numbers in this Janajatiya Gaurav Week and take advantage of the various government schemes,” she said.

Beed District Also to Observe the Service Week

Apart from Pune, Sunetra Pawar also referred to the celebrations planned in Beed district, where she serves as the Guardian Minister.

The Integrated Tribal Development Project office at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will coordinate the activities in Beed from November 11 to 18.

The programmes will include awareness campaigns on government schemes, health camps, cleanliness drives and various public awareness initiatives.

At Khalwat-Nimgaon in Beed district, special celebrations will be organised on November 15 to mark Bhagwan Birsa Munda's birth anniversary. Arrangements will also be made for members of the tribal community to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address.

A service camp will also be organised at Shirur Kasar in Beed to help residents obtain Aadhaar cards and other essential government documents. Health check-up camps and awareness programmes will be conducted in different talukas and villages across the district.

863 Landless Beneficiaries in Pune Provided Land

Highlighting the government's efforts to improve the living conditions of tribal communities, Sunetra Pawar said that land had been made available to 863 landless beneficiaries in Pune district under the PM housing scheme.

She further said that the process of providing land to around 640 additional beneficiaries was underway in seven talukas of the district.

The talukas include Ambegaon, Bhor, Maval, Mulshi, Khed, Junnar and Rajgad.

The initiative aims to address the land-related difficulties faced by landless tribal families and help them access housing benefits.

Over 14,000 Aadhaar Cards Distributed to Katkari Community

Providing details of the welfare measures undertaken for the particularly vulnerable Katkari community in Pune district, Sunetra Pawar shared figures on the distribution of essential identity and welfare documents.

According to her, 14,411 Aadhaar cards and 13,486 caste certificates have been distributed to members of the community. Additionally, 11,170 ration cards have been provided.

As part of efforts to improve access to healthcare and financial inclusion, 4,200 residents have received Ayushman cards, while 971 Jan Dhan bank accounts have been opened.

Further, 485 beneficiaries have received assistance under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.

She said, “The figures reflect the administration’s efforts to ensure that tribal families are connected with essential government services and welfare programmes.”

2,500 Teachers Recruited; Focus on Education in Tribal Schools

Outlining the decisions taken by the Tribal Development Department over the past two years, Sunetra Pawar said several initiatives had been introduced in education, healthcare, employment and sports to improve opportunities for tribal students and youth.

She said that more than 2,500 teachers had been recruited transparently through the Pavitra portal, while over 3,000 contractual teachers had also been appointed.

The government has introduced semi-English and CBSE patterns in schools to improve the quality of education available to tribal students. Appointments of sports, arts and music teachers have also been undertaken, alongside training programmes to prepare students for competitive examinations.

In a significant step towards improving healthcare facilities in residential schools, the government has appointed nurses in Ashram schools for the first time.

She also referred to an increase of nearly 23% in provisions for rural students studying in Classes XI and XII.

For meritorious students, the government has introduced the Veer Raghoji Bhangre Scholarship to encourage academic achievement and provide financial support for higher education.

Special Schemes for Tribal Women and Youth

Sunetra Pawar also highlighted initiatives aimed at improving economic opportunities and encouraging entrepreneurship among tribal communities.

She said the government had introduced the Rani Durgavati scheme for women and a special entrepreneurship development scheme for youth.

The initiatives are intended to create opportunities for women to become economically independent and encourage young people to explore self-employment and entrepreneurial activities.

The government has also announced special financial packages for the Kolam, Katkari, Madia and Pardhi tribal communities, with the objective of addressing their specific developmental challenges.

Further, the government has restarted mess facilities in government hostels, with work underway at several locations to ensure that students residing in these institutions have access to food facilities.

Government Committed to Overall Development of Tribal Communities

Reiterating the government's commitment to tribal welfare, Sunetra Pawar said the administration was working towards improving access to education, healthcare, housing, employment and other essential services.

“The government is committed to the overall development of the tribal community, and all our efforts are being made in that direction,” she said.