Always Committed to the Welfare of OBCs – Guardian Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar

Chandrapur : Guardian Minister and State Minister for Forests, Cultural Affairs, and Fisheries, Sudhir Mungantiwar, reaffirmed his commitment to the welfare of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). He recalled how hostels for OBC students are being established today, but there was a time when no separate ministry for OBCs existed. Mungantiwar shared that he and then-Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis discussed the need for a dedicated ministry, leading to the establishment of a separate OBC Ministry in Maharashtra on March 9, 2017. He assured that his dedication to the welfare of OBCs remains unwavering.

Mungantiwar was speaking at the inauguration of OBC Boys’ and Girls’ Hostels. He mentioned that within the next one and a half to two years, beautiful hostels for OBC students will be completed, with designs inspired by Nashik’s soil. Present at the event were MLA Kishore Jorgewar, Assistant Commissioner Asha Kawade, and several other dignitaries.

Reflecting on his contributions, Mungantiwar noted that he played a role in significant state initiatives, such as bringing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s tiger claws back to India, removing encroachments at Afzal Khan’s tomb, and erecting a jeweled umbrella for Bhavani Mata. He also mentioned his involvement in renaming Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and commemorating the house where Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar stayed in London in 1920.

Mungantiwar highlighted his efforts to create opportunities in Chandrapur, including the establishment of a library in 1995, which now benefits many students. He also spoke about the Baba Amte Abhyasika, which is helping numerous students, and his push to increase Maharashtra’s representation in IPS-IAS by forming a committee to address this.

He emphasized that OBC girls now receive a 100% fee concession for vocational education, and he warned that managements attempting to undermine this scheme would face consequences. Mungantiwar also assured that the beloved sister scheme would not be closed, as it does not burden the state exchequer. During his tenure as Finance Minister, he noted that the state revenue had a surplus of Rs 11,975 crore, which strengthened the financial status of the state.

Efforts are ongoing to enhance educational progress in Chandrapur. This includes developments in the Medical College, Cancer Hospital, and Agricultural University. Chandrapur Engineering College has received Rs 263 crore from Ratan Tata, and the SNDT University campus, with 62 courses, is under construction. The district is also set to have a flying club at Morwa Airport, enabling children to train as commercial pilots.

Student Shruti Gaware expressed gratitude to Mungantiwar with a beautiful poem during the event, thanking him for his efforts in establishing the OBC hostels.