Days after display of Marathi signboards by shops and establishments was made mandatory, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in a bid to promote the pride of Maharashtra and importance of forts has named the ministers’ bungalows situated opposite Mantralaya after various forts.
A senior MVA Minister told the Free Press Journal, ‘’The decision has been taken for the preservation of forts in the state and to disseminate information about them to the people.’’ He further noted that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj brought the technique of guerrilla warfare and personally designed many of the Maharashtra forts.
‘’From today, the official residences of the ministers in front of Mantralaya will be known by forts. My demand was met with success,’’ said Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant whose B-3 bungalow is named Ratnasindhu.
As per the government list, A -3 occupied by Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad is named Shivgad, Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse A-4 as Rajgad, Tribal Development Minister KC Padvi A-5 as Pratapgad, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar B-1 as Sinhgad, Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray A-6 as Raigad, Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh B-3 as Janjira and School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad B-4 as Pawangad.
Further, the Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif’s bungalow number B-5 is named as Vijaydurg, Women and Child Development Minister Yashomati Thakur B-6 as Siddhagad, Sports Minister Sunil Kedar B-7 as Panhalgad, Water Supply Minister Gulabrao Patil C-1 as Suvarnagad, Employment Guarantee Minister Sandeepan Bhumre C-2 as Brahmagiri, Transport Minister Anil Parab C-5 as Ajinkyatara and Cooperation Minister Balasheb Patil C-6 as Prachitgad.
The government’s move also came days after it has sought a World Heritage site tag for 14 forts.
