Pawan Kumar Goenka takes charge as All India Marwari Federation president

New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) Pawan Kumar Goenka assumed charge as the national president of the All India Marwari Federation on Saturday, according to a statement.

He succeeded Shiv Kumar Lohia at the body's two-day national convention held at Adhyatm Sadhna Kendra in southwest Delhi's Chhattarpur.

"Our focus will remain on expanding educational, medical and social initiatives to strengthen the Marwari community nationwide," Goenka said in an address.

According to the statement, the Yuva Marwari Sangthan, an affiliate, is constructing a five-storey Yuva Bhawan in Shahdara on a 4,000-sq metre plot at a cost of Rs 40 crore.

The building, expected to be completed in two years, will include a hostel, gym, library and indoor games facilities to accommodate youths coming to the capital for studies.

It said a scholarship scheme for meritorious students from middle-class families currently supports around 450 students, with nearly Rs 5 crore disbursed so far.

Subsidised accommodation for 50 students at Delhi University will also be expanded.

The federation has tied up with Manipal Hospitals to provide economical treatment at 35 facilities across India and is in talks with Max and Apollo, the statement added.

Its 15,000-sq metre central headquarters, Sita Ram Rungta Marwari Bhawan, is under construction in Kolkata at a cost of Rs 10 crore and will be completed next year.

The statement said the organisation has been providing food at AIIMS and Safdarjung hospitals and will now also supply bottled drinking water.

The federation encouraged youth to enter public life while remaining non-political, it added. PTI SGV VN VN