Former Chief Minister Late Vasantrao Naik’s Work Continues to Guide the State – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Full-figure statue of Late Vasantrao Naik, the Pioneer of the Green Revolution, Unveiled

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nov 2025 – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the water conservation work undertaken by Maharashtra’s longest-serving Chief Minister, the late Vasantrao Naik, and his initiatives to make the state self-sufficient in food grains continue to benefit Maharashtra even today. Calling Naik’s work truly “visionary,” he said it continues to guide and inspire the state’s progress.

A full-size statue of the late Vasantrao Naik—the pioneer of the Green Revolution and former Chief Minister—was unveiled today by Chief Minister Fadnavis at CIDCO in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. District Guardian Minister and Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat, OBC, Bahujan Welfare & Dairy Development Minister Atul Save, Environment & Climate Change and Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde, MP Sandipan Bhumre, MP Dr. Kalyan Kale, MP Dr. Bhagwat Karad, MLA Sanjay Kenekar, MLA Anuradha Chavan, and Municipal Commissioner G. Srikant were present.

Chief Minister Fadnavis said that Late Vasantrao Naik played a vital role in shaping Maharashtra. While serving in various political roles, he worked tirelessly to make Maharashtra self-sufficient. He created widespread awareness among the Banjara community and established many educational institutions to encourage education, while also promoting the preservation of social traditions. Naik held several positions during his political career—Municipal President, MLA, MP, and Chief Minister. He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Chief Minister in Maharashtra’s history, Fadnavis said.

Regarding the devastating drought of 1972, the Chief Minister said that Naik had resolved to free the state from recurring droughts through water conservation. Naik believed that “water conservation is the only way to make Maharashtra drought-free.” He encouraged storing every drop of water, increasing groundwater levels, and preventing soil erosion to secure farmers’ future. By initiating large-scale water conservation work, Naik laid the foundation for a “water revolution.” His clear objective was to make Maharashtra rich and self-sufficient in food production. He sparked a transformation that became a guiding light for future generations.

Fadnavis said that while studying ways to tackle drought, it became clear that Naik’s water conservation model was the true solution. Inspired by his vision, the statewide Jalyukt Shivar scheme was created to implement extensive water conservation work across Maharashtra. While designing the scheme, many individuals were sources of inspiration, but the original and strongest inspiration behind the entire initiative was Vasantrao Naik himself, Fadnavis recalled.

Late Vasantrao Naik also launched a large-scale awareness and development movement for the Banjara community. This traditionally hard-working yet historically marginalized community once played a crucial role in road-building, step-well construction, and infrastructural development. At Poharadevi—the “Kashi” of the Banjara community established by Sevalal Maharaj—the government has implemented a ₹700 crore comprehensive development plan to transform it into a grand, modern, and globally recognized center. Today, Poharadevi has been completely revitalized and has become an important cultural and spiritual hub in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Banjara Kashi Poharadevi for the first time and inaugurated the museum there. The first statue at the entrance of the museum is that of Late Vasantrao Naik—a gesture that honors his immense contribution to social upliftment, awareness, and transformative change, said Fadnavis.

Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat said that the unveiling of Late Vasantrao Naik’s full-size statue by the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation is a matter of great joy—not only for the Banjara community but for everyone, comparable to Diwali. The city is rapidly developing and must be beautified further. With the upcoming Kumbh Mela, many devotees will visit Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, making it essential to allocate funds for roads and comprehensive urban development, he said. He added that Naik’s statue will continue to inspire everyone. Municipal Commissioner G. Srikant delivered the welcome speech. A large number of citizens were present for the ceremony.