Nagpur: Maharashtra’s Revenue and Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday, May 1, expressed confidence that Nagpur would be elevated to the status of an international city within the next five years by strengthening and expanding its infrastructure in a planned manner. Speaking at the Maharashtra Day main flag hoisting ceremony held at Kasturchand Park, Bawankule credited the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for Nagpur’s rapid development.
Prominent dignitaries present at the event included Divisional Commissioner Vijayalakshmi Bidari, Municipal Commissioner Dr. Abhijit Chaudhari, NIT Chairman Sanjay Mina, Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal, Special IG Dr. Dilip Bhujbal Patil, District Collector Dr. Vipin Itankar, and Zilla Parishad CEO Vinayak Mahamuni.
Bawankule highlighted the government’s commitment to empowering women, farmers, youth, senior citizens, and government employees, while also focusing on health, self-employment, industrial growth, urban and rural development, culture and sports, energy, and effective water management. He announced that under the joint efforts of the revenue and home departments, Maharashtra is creating a law-and-order environment conducive to development.
He also stated that Marathi has been granted classical language status, and relics like the ‘Waghnakh’ of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have been brought back from London. The sword of Raje Raghuji Bhosale will soon return to Maharashtra as well, reflecting the state government’s dedication to Marathi pride and identity.
To ensure good governance, major reforms have been implemented, including the removal of the Rs 500 stamp paper requirement for caste and other certificates for students. The revenue department has made significant advancements in processing caste verification and issued around 47 key decisions over the last 100 days. He also announced that displaced members of the Sindhi community, affected by the Partition, have now been officially given a legal residential address by the government.
In a push for transparency, revenue department camps will now be held four times a year in each tehsil to issue necessary documents to citizens. Bawankule also highlighted the fast-tracking of promotions in the revenue department and assured further speed in upcoming promotional processes.
Release of Public Awareness Booklet & Presentation of Awards:
As part of the celebrations, a public awareness booklet highlighting social justice schemes was released by Minister Bawankule. He also presented awards for excellence in healthcare and social service, including the Maharashtra government’s Sickle Cell Award to Dr. Vipin Itankar, Dr. Rajkumar Gehlot, Dr. Nivrutti Rathod, Dr. Revati Sable, and Prajakta Chaudhary.
Anti-Corruption Bureau’s Additional SP Sachin Tukaram Kadam and SP Suraj Bhangade received the DGP Medal for 2023–24, while the Special Service Medal was awarded to PIs Vinod Godbole, Prashant Jumde, Pankaj Bondse, and Vikrant Sagane. Additional medals were presented to officers including PI Mahesh Andhale and PSI Prashant Lade, among others.
Chief Fire Officer Ganesh Khartamal was awarded a certificate of appreciation for bravery and dedication. Sports awards were given to Ojas Devatale (Archery), Harpreet Singh (Handball), Sharvari Gosewade (Fencing), and Gurudas Raut (Outstanding Player). Akash Behenia received the 2024–25 District Youth Award for social work, and Sandeep Awolekar was honored with the Ideal Talathi Award.
A parade led by Assistant SP Vrushtee Jain and PSI Raju Chilkamma featured the State Reserve Police Force, Nagpur City and Rural Police, Railway Police, Band Squad, and Dog Squad. The event was compered by Dr. Deepak Sawlikar and Mahesh Bagdev.
11 Municipal Councils Receive Firefighting Vehicles:
Minister Bawankule also handed over firefighting vehicles to 11 municipal councils across the district under the 2024–25 District Annual Plan. Present at the handover were Divisional Commissioner Bidari, Municipal Commissioner Dr. Chaudhari, NIT Chairman Sanjay Mina, Police Commissioner Singal, Special IG Bhujbal Patil, Collector Dr. Itankar, and ZP CEO Mahamuni. Fire department officials including Vinod Jadhav, Engineer Rishikesh Deshmukh, and Officer Milind Dukre were also present.
