President Draupadi Murmu and Governor CP Radhakrishnan visited Nanded on Wednesday and paid their respects at the renowned Takth Sachkhand Shri Huzur Sahib Gurudwara. They offered prayers to the Gurugranth Sahib and were welcomed in a traditional ceremony by the Gurudwara Board, receiving a shawl and coconut as a gesture of respect. President Murmu’s daughter, Itishree, accompanied her on the visit.
Also present were Nanded District Guardian Minister Girish Mahajan, Divisional Commissioner Dilip Gawade, District Collector Abhijeet Raut, SP Abinash Kumar, Municipal Commissioner Dr. Maheshkumar Doiphode, and several Gurudwara officials including Administrator Dr. Vijay Satbirsinghji, Advisor Jaswantsingh Bobby, and Baba Jyotindersinghji Jatthedar.
After offering prayers, President Murmu visited the Gurudwara's Langar and inspected the facilities. She also interacted with stallholders Ketan Kalaskar and Samshersingh Lalsingh Rathod, inquiring about their businesses.
APAMVM Aims to Create 5 Lakh Maratha Entrepreneurs
The Annasaheb Patil Aarthik Magas Vikas Mahamandal (APAMVM) has successfully nurtured 1 lakh entrepreneurs from the Maratha community and now aims to raise that number to 5 lakh, according to the Mahamandal’s chairman, Narendra Patil. He made this statement while addressing a state-level loan convention organized by APAMVM in collaboration with MBN Foundation at the Shrihari Pavilion on Wednesday.
The event saw participation from notable figures such as industrialists Narendra Pawar and Vishal Kadam, Milind Patil, Ramesh Gaikwad, Deogiri Bank Chairman Kishor Shitole, Sadashiv Jadhav, Joint Commissioner of Skill Development Suresh Varade, Jalna's Additional SP Ashok Bankar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner Ankush Pandhare, and several other dignitaries.
The convention began with a tribute to Jijau Maasaheb and Annasaheb Patil by garlanding their portraits, followed by the distribution of loan cheques to beneficiaries.
Patil highlighted that while 1 lakh individuals have benefited from the Mahamandal's loan scheme, 10,000 of them hail from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. He stressed that while the Maratha community's youth possess significant talent, they often lack the capital needed to launch their ventures. The Mahamandal steps in to bridge this gap by offering loans, which the beneficiaries repay diligently. Patil encouraged more young people to seize this opportunity.
Industrialists Narendra Pawar and Pradeep Navale also shared their experiences of receiving support from the Mahamandal during the event. Harshali Deshmukh served as the event's host, and Arun Pere concluded the convention with a vote of thanks.
MSRTC employees withdraw strike
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees withdrew their strike on Wednesday following a meeting between the employees’ association officials and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The government agreed to most of their long-standing demands. Employees celebrated the occasion at the Central Bus Stand by dancing to drum beats late into the night on Wednesday.
Two days prior, divisional employees and those from Chikalthana had initiated the strike on Tuesday, continuing into Wednesday evening. As a result, the number of passengers arriving in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar via MSRTC buses decreased, affecting market transactions in the city. Traders estimated that around Rs 17 crore in transactions were disrupted. Similarly, the tourism and religious sectors suffered losses of up to 40 percent. The strike also impacted government offices and courts, with fewer people able to attend, and students were unable to reach colleges due to a lack of bus services. The number of patients visiting the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) also decreased on Tuesday and Wednesday. Private transporters took advantage of the situation by charging double fares from passengers.
The MSRTC employees had been demanding pay scales comparable to state government employees, along with the immediate payment of pending allowances and other entitlements. They initiated a complete statewide strike on Tuesday. After the government accepted most of their demands, the strike was called off. Employees celebrated at the Central Bus Stand by dancing and distributing sweets.
With the festival season, including the upcoming Ganesh Festival, many people working far from home typically travel to their native places. They had been concerned that the continuation of the MSRTC strike would cause significant inconvenience. However, with the strike now resolved, they are relieved.
