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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 4:59:11 pm

A Comeback Rooted in Green

Part - 8 Who: Pankaja Munde Where: Parli Vaijnath, Beed district Pankaja Munde is making a comeback — not with political fireworks or headline-grabbing confrontations, but through a quieter, more deliberate campaign to reshape Maharashtra’s environmental future. The BJP leader is steadily reclaiming her space with a green agenda that places governance, sustainability and grassroots engagement at its centre. Over the past 18 months, Munde, Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister,...

A Comeback Rooted in Green

Part - 8 Who: Pankaja Munde Where: Parli Vaijnath, Beed district Pankaja Munde is making a comeback — not with political fireworks or headline-grabbing confrontations, but through a quieter, more deliberate campaign to reshape Maharashtra’s environmental future. The BJP leader is steadily reclaiming her space with a green agenda that places governance, sustainability and grassroots engagement at its centre. Over the past 18 months, Munde, Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister, has pursued a series of policy initiatives and administrative reforms to address the state’s mounting ecological vulnerabilities. As extreme weather events intensify and climate risks spread across the state, she has sought to build a more systematic response through institutional restructuring, regulatory interventions and public participation. Maharashtra is among the country’s most climate-vulnerable states, having recorded 142 extreme weather events in 2024 alone. More than 94 per cent of its districts are susceptible to climate change, while the frequency of hot days has doubled, droughts and coastal cyclones have tripled, and floods have quadrupled over the past decade. Against this backdrop, Munde has adopted a methodical approach, keeping much of her focus on administrative work rather than the political controversies and media glare that marked her earlier career. At the policy level, she has established the Maharashtra State River Rejuvenation Authority to help maintain natural river flows and curb water pollution. A Carbon Market Facilitation Cell has been launched to implement the state’s carbon credit policy, while her department has collaborated with the iFOREST organisation to develop a comprehensive Just Transition Roadmap. The initiative seeks to ensure that the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources does not leave vulnerable communities behind. Munde has also restructured the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority to strengthen regulatory oversight. A special task force has been formed to promote large-scale bamboo cultivation, with a target of covering 15,738 hectares by October 2025. Clean-up initiatives across 11 beaches have improved local environments. Five beaches — Parnaka in Dahanu, Shrivardhan, Nagaon, Guhagar and Ladghar — have been selected to pursue international Blue Flag certification through Denmark’s Foundation for Environmental Education. Munde has also sought to bring environmental conservation closer to communities. A resolution was passed to develop at least one man-made Devrai (sacred grove) and Ghanvan (dense forest) in every taluka, with the aim of preserving local biodiversity. Her effort to make religious celebrations more environmentally conscious received a striking showcase at the Eco-friendly Maha Ganesh Idol Workshop in Vashi, Mumbai. More than 10,000 students simultaneously crafted Shadu clay idols, securing a Guinness World Record for the state. Complementing these measures is the statewide Paryavaran Vachva Vasundhara Sajva (Save the Environment, Adorn the Earth) campaign. Munde has personally visited religious sites to persuade traders and citizens to give up single-use plastics. Whether or not these initiatives translate into lasting ecological gains, they nonetheless signal an attempt to give Maharashtra’s environmental administration a more proactive identity.

Discussions on among allies for govt formation: Ajit Pawar

Correspondent
Nov 26, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Nov 29, 2024

Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister and NCP head Ajit Pawar on Monday said discussions were underway among the Mahayuti partners to finalise a formula for the new government formation in the state.


Speaking to reporters at Karad in Satara district, Pawar also acknowledged the contribution of the government's Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides financial assistance to women, in the Mahayuti's victory in the just-concluded state assembly polls.


The NCP leader also assured that the alliance was working cohesively following its resounding victory in the state assembly elections.


Pawar paid tributes to Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan at his memorial in Karad on his death anniversary.


In the state poll results declared on Saturday, the Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, bagged an impressive 230 of the 288 assembly seats.


The focus has been on BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is being seen as a strong contender to occupy the top post for the third time, as his party bagged 132 of the 149 seats it contested in the state.


Notably, Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar has said his party legislators feel Eknath Shinde should continue as the chief minister of the state, where the ruling Mahayuti scored a landslide victory in the assembly polls.


Ajit Pawar said, "We will decide what formula to work out on the cabinet formation among the three parties."


Reflecting on the elections, he acknowledged the contribution of the Ladki Bahin scheme in the Mahayuti's win.


"We cannot ignore that Ladki Bahin helped us in this election. We are grateful to them (women voters)," he said.


Defending the scheme, Pawar, who is also the state finance minister, further said, "Had I been opposed to the Ladki Bahin scheme, I would not have presented it in the House. I discussed the scheme with several retired finance officers before finalising it."


Pawar also dismissed concerns raised by some opposition leaders over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), pointing out that polls in states like Punjab, West Bengal and Telangana, governed by their political opponents, have been conducted with the same system.


Commenting on members of same families contesting against each other during the elections, Pawar expressed annoyance over repeated questions on it.


He then asked, "Why was my close nephew fielded? Atram's own daughter was fielded against him, and even Rajendra Shingne faced a similar challenge. I don't want to comment further on this. I have got tired of apologising for fielding my wife against Supriya. Yugendra was in business, then why was he prepared to contest against me?"


In the Baramati assembly seat, Ajit Pawar was pitted against his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar.


In Aheri seat, NCP leader Dharamraobaba Atram's daughter Bhagyashree Atram contested against him on NCP (SP) ticket.

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