Will look into Munde's demand on Gopinath Munde Sugarcane Cutting Laborers Corporation: Pawar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Aug 7 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said he will look into party colleague Dhananjay Munde's demand to transfer the Gopinath Munde Sugarcane Cutting Labourers Corporation to the planning department from the social justice department.

Speaking to reporters at the inauguration of 'Mission Sathi' programme for labourers engaged in cane cutting in Beed, Pawar said he would speak to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and the social justice minister in this regard.

While the social justice department is under Sanjay Shirsat of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the planning portfolio is handled by Pawar.

"The highest number of sugarcane cutting labourers are from Beed. To bring them in the flow of development, steps are being initiated by the government. A corporation in the name of Gopinath Munde was made earlier. We are also moving towards mechanization for sugarcane cutting," Pawar said.

Pawar also said he would speak to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to start the Beed-Ahilyanagar route on September 17, which is celebrated as Mukti Sangram Din to commemorate Marathwada's freedom from the Hyderabad Nizam's rule and unification with Maharashtra.

Speaking about issues plaguing Beed, including incidents of crime that have made national headlines, the Deputy CM said there was a need to rectify mistakes and change one's mentality.

"Those doing wrong should be punished irrespective of caste, political party. Law should be the same for everyone," Pawar said.

Asserting that industries need to be set up in Beed, Pawar said the state government will start an innovation and incubation centre here at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore.

It will create skilled manpower of 7000 every year, Pawar added. PTI AW BNM