Will Resolve Issues of Mathadi Workers – CM Devendra Fadnavis

Our Policy is to Consider Every Section of Society

Thane, Sept 2025: This is a government of the common people, guided by the ideology of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Our policy is to safeguard the interests of every section of society. The movement started by the late Annasaheb Patil to uplift the lives of Mathadi workers cannot be stopped. We will make every effort to resolve the issues faced by Mathadi workers, assured Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today.

He was speaking at a grand gathering of Mathadi workers organized jointly by the Maharashtra State Mathadi, Transport and General Workers Union, Annasaheb Patil Mathadi Workers Cooperative Credit Society, and Annasaheb Patil Mathadi Workers Cooperative Consumer Society at the Onion-Potato Market in Vashi APMC, on the occasion of the 92nd birth anniversary of late MLA Annasaheb Patil.

The event was attended by State Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, Cooperation Minister Jaikumar Rawal, PWD Minister Chhatrapati Shivrendraraje Bhosale, MLAs Niranjan Davkhare, Mandatai Mhatre, Prashant Thakur, Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde, Union President Eknath Jadhav, General Secretary Narendra Annasaheb Patil, Working Presidents MLA Shashikant Shinde and Gulabrao Jagtap, along with a large number of Mathadi workers.

CM Fadnavis first paid tributes to late MLA Annasaheb Patil and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on their birth anniversaries. He said Annasaheb Patil built a strong organization for Mathadi workers. Leaders who sacrifice their family life for the welfare of their community and to create systems for workers’ development are rare, and Annasaheb Patil was one of them. He launched a movement to ensure decent living standards and development for workers migrating to Mumbai from across Maharashtra, giving them organization, voice, and security. Because of his sacrifices, future generations gained the right to dream.

Highlighting his contribution to the Maratha community, the CM said Annasaheb Patil fought for justice for Marathas, even sacrificing himself for their cause. His movement eventually led to the Maratha reservation struggle. Within the framework of law, the government worked to secure reservation for Marathas, and now the community, once denied for lack of evidence, qualifies for it. This government has contributed to furthering Annasaheb’s movement.

He further added that Maratha issues cannot be solved by reservation alone. For Maratha youth, the government launched an educational reimbursement scheme, providing ₹60,000 annually to address accommodation issues in cities. The Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI) was established to help Maratha youth with training and competitive exams. So far, 112 youth have become IAS and IPS officers, and 1,048 have joined the state services through MPSC. Over 8.38 lakh youth have benefited from SARTHI’s schemes. To encourage entrepreneurship, the Annasaheb Patil Financial Development Corporation was set up, helping 1.5 lakh Maratha youth become entrepreneurs with loans worth ₹13,500 crore. Similar schemes have been extended to other communities as well.

Fadnavis assured that the government will take all necessary measures within legal provisions to resolve Mathadi workers’ issues. “We will ensure that Mathadi workers get the maximum possible benefits under the rules,” he said.

Union General Secretary Narendra Annasaheb Patil thanked the CM for the government’s significant decisions for the Maratha community and Mathadi workers. He also demanded affordable housing for Mathadi workers. He expressed confidence that with the CM’s support, the Annasaheb Patil Corporation was able to create 1.5 lakh entrepreneurs.

Working President MLA Shashikant Shinde outlined the current problems of Mathadi workers in his welcome speech.

On this occasion, several workers were honored with the Gunwant Kamgar Puraskar (Outstanding Worker Award) by the CM. Beneficiaries Sonal Gunjal, Sambhaji Shivaji Barge, Sunil Dhonde, Mayur Magar, and Ankush Sankapal received cheques from the Annasaheb Patil Development Corporation at the hands of CM Fadnavis.