Marathwada Liberation Struggle Day Celebrated with Enthusiasm
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Sept 2026 : Marathwada had earlier fought for freedom and is now fighting against drought. With rainfall remaining deficient this year, farmers are once again worried. The government stands firmly with farmers in this difficult situation. To change this situation, surplus water flowing away from the Konkan region and the Krishna basin will be brought to Marathwada to make the region permanently drought-free, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
On the occasion of Marathwada Liberation Struggle Day, Chief Minister Fadnavis attended the main government function organised in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Thursday. He hoisted the national flag, inspected the guard of honour and paid tributes at the Martyrs' Memorial. Marathwada Liberation Struggle Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm.
Social Justice Minister and Guardian Minister of the district Sanjay Shirsat, Mayor Sameer Rajurkar, Zilla Parishad President Avinash Galande, MP Sandipan Bhumre, MP Dr Kalyan Kale, MLAs Satish Chavan, Ambadas Danve, Suhas Shirsat, Ramesh Bornare, Pradeep Jaiswal, Prashant Bamb, Vilas Bhumre, Narayan Kuche and Anuradha Chavan were among those present.
Divisional Commissioner G. Shrikant, District Collector Vinay Gauda G.C., Municipal Commissioner Amol Yedge, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Minnu P.M., Special Inspector General of Police, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Range, Virendra Mishra, Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar, Superintendent of Police Prakash Jadhav, former MPs Chandrakant Khaire and Imtiyaz Jaleel, dignitaries from various fields, freedom fighters and their family members, government officials, employees and elected representatives also attended the event in large numbers.
At the beginning of the ceremony, Chief Minister Fadnavis laid a wreath at the Martyrs' Memorial. Other dignitaries also paid floral tributes. A three-round gun salute was then given, followed by the hoisting of the national flag and a salute to the Tricolour.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Fadnavis paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.
Remembering the Warriors of the Liberation Struggle
Chief Minister Fadnavis said Marathwada was truly liberated because of the sacrifices made by numerous people. He recalled that Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had led a major struggle that ultimately resulted in the liberation of Marathwada.
“There was a time when atrocities had reached their extreme. Our freedom fighters worked to bring Marathwada out of such a situation,” he said, expressing gratitude to all those who contributed to the liberation struggle.
All Possible Assistance to Farmers
Fadnavis said Marathwada had been facing a continuous struggle for development for many years, while the threat of drought had remained persistent.
“This year too is a drought year. There was a prolonged break in rainfall, resulting in extensive damage to agriculture and crops. Our farmers are worried. Under no circumstances will the government abandon farmers. We will provide them with all possible assistance,” he said.
He added that the process of preparing crop-loss assessment reports, or panchnamas, would be completed after October 5, following which assistance would be provided to farmers. Arrangements and planning had also been made for drinking water and fodder.
Loan Waiver Benefits and Cancellation of Old Power Bills
Fadnavis said the government had launched the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farmers' Loan Waiver Scheme and that farmers in Marathwada had received the largest share of its benefits.
“More than 15 lakh farmers have been freed from debt so far. We have already decided to provide free electricity to farmers. In addition, the government has now decided to cancel old electricity bills amounting to nearly Rs 48,000 crore,” he said.
Resolve to Ensure the Next Generation Does Not Face Drought
Speaking about Marathwada's drought situation, Fadnavis said the present generation had experienced drought, but the government had resolved that future generations should not have to face the same crisis.
“We have begun work to bring an additional 30 TMC of water from the Krishna basin to Marathwada through the Bhima basin. This will enable water to reach areas including Dharashiv, Beed and Latur,” he said.
He added that preparations for a project report to bring water from the Ulhas basin in Konkan to the Godavari basin through river-linking projects had reached the final stage.
“Preliminary estimates indicate that nearly 70 TMC of water can be brought from the Ulhas basin to the Godavari basin. This will help make Marathwada permanently drought-free. The project will be implemented in phases and is expected to be completed within seven years,” Fadnavis said.
Daily Water Supply to Every Household
On the water supply scheme for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, the Chief Minister said the project had reached its final stage.
“We have not allowed any shortage of funds. Work is progressing rapidly and we are resolving the difficulties. Soon, every household in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will receive drinking water every day,” he said.
Major Industrial Hub in the Country
Fadnavis said the Western Elevated Expressway and Samruddhi Mahamarg had contributed to the development of industrial areas such as Shendra-Bidkin. The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) cluster had also emerged as one of the country's major industrial clusters.
“With companies such as Toyota, JSW and Ather coming here, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is expected to emerge as one of the country's leading electric vehicle manufacturing clusters in the coming years,” he said.
Expansion of the Industrial Sector
The Chief Minister said substantial investments were coming into the region and infrastructure was being developed in line with these investments.
“We are acquiring another 8,000 acres of land to expand the industrial area. These investments are generating employment, and through these employment opportunities, Marathwada is moving towards prosperity,” he said.
Strong and Faster Connectivity
Fadnavis said work on the Jalna dry port had begun and facilities had been planned there for the import and export requirements of electric vehicles manufactured in the region.
He also said there was significant potential for defence manufacturing in the area. To support the industrial ecosystem, the Shendra-Bidkin and Bidkin-Dhoregaon roads were being upgraded to six lanes, with an allocation of Rs 3,500 crore.
“We are also constructing the city's longest elevated road. This will help ensure that traffic jams do not occur in the future,” he said.
Expansion of Healthcare Facilities
Fadnavis said several healthcare infrastructure projects were underway in the region, including a new building worth Rs 710 crore at the Government Medical College in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
He also referred to plans for a modern 500-bed hospital and medical college in Dharashiv, as well as the veterinary college in Parli being developed at a cost of Rs 565 crore.
Transformation in the Lives of All Sections
The Chief Minister described Marathwada as an aspirational region that had faced numerous challenges.
“We have begun the work of bringing Marathwada onto the path of development and transforming the region by taking everyone along. We are working to bring about a change in people's lives by standing with all sections of society and providing them with education, employment and healthcare facilities,” he said.
Chief Minister Fadnavis also met freedom fighters and their family members during the programme.
The event was compered by Pravin Lohade and Praveena Kannadkar.
