Jalgaon: “The increasing culture of freebies is weakening society’s willpower. Today, the government provides free food and free electricity, which has made people dependent. In our village, however, nothing is given for free. If this continues, the only thing left for the government to distribute in the budget will be cardamom paste and liquor,” said Popatrao Pawar while expressing concern over the growing dependency created by welfare schemes.
He was speaking at the Dr Acharya Avinashi Seva Puraskar ceremony organised by Keshav Smriti Pratishthan and Jalgaon Janata Sahakari Bank to honour grassroots social workers for their selfless service.
On the occasion, social activist Anuradha Bhosale of the Avani Foundation, Kolhapur, and Vilas Shinde of Sahyadri Farmers Producer Company (Sahyadri Farms), Dindori, Nashik, were felicitated. Among those present on the dais were Dr Bharat Amalkar, President of Keshav Smriti Pratishthan; Satish Madane, President of Jalgaon Janata Sahakari Bank; CEO Sanjay Nagmoti; and Vice President Dilip Chopra.
Speaking further, Pawar emphasised that meaningful social work requires teamwork, honesty and dedication. “Work cannot grow without committed people. Even a small mistake becomes breaking news today, but society must continue to support those working sincerely,” he said.
He also warned about the global environmental crisis and the urgent need to restore what humanity has taken from nature. “India is celebrating 75 years of independence. If we fail to return what we have taken from nature within the next hundred years, society will face a major crisis. Climate change, water pollution and soil degradation are already affecting health and agriculture,” he said.
Pawar added that the coming decades would pose serious challenges for agriculture and youth. “Stress is increasing among children, leading to rising addiction. We must think about what today’s youth will do in the next ten years,” he noted.
Highlighting the development model of Hiware Bazar, Pawar said the village has avoided unnecessary constructions and activities that do not contribute to community welfare. “We have not allowed even a single pan shop or unnecessary statue in our village. Discipline and community culture have helped us progress,” he said.
During the ceremony, the Dr Acharya Avinashi Seva Puraskar was presented to Anuradha Bhosale. The award included a cash prize of ₹1 lakh and a citation. The institutional award was conferred on Sahyadri Farms, Dindori, with a cash prize of ₹1.5 lakh, a memento and a certificate, which were accepted by Vilas Shinde and his team.
The programme began with an introduction by Dr Bharat Amalkar, while Satish Madane delivered the vote of thanks.
