Tejas Navale

Pune: Following the Lok Sabha election results, Deputy Chief Minister and Pune's Guardian Minister, Ajit Pawar was on a two-day visit to Pune. His itinerary included an overview of various infrastructure projects and addressing the concerns of the Varkari community and other residents. A significant highlight of his visit was a meeting focused on the development of a national monument at Bhidewada, the historic site where Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule founded the first girls' school in India.

During this meeting, Ajit Pawar, in the presence of Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, directed officials to expedite the tender process for the monument's construction. Pawar also committed to allocating rs 200 crore in the upcoming budget for the expansion of Mahatma Phule Wada and the Kranti Jyoti Savitribai Phule monuments.

The planned monument will be a four-story structure, with parking facilities on the ground floor and three additional floors above. The ground floor will feature statues of Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule, while the upper floors will display murals and pictorial representations of their life stories and significant events. Additionally, there will be facilities to showcase their work through audio-visual presentations and display their writings. The top floor will house a training institute dedicated to the skill development of girls and women, as directed by Ajit Pawar.

Chhagan Bhujbal emphasised the urgency of preparing the budget for the memorial and advancing the tender process, aiming to lay the foundation stone by the end of July. The meeting also discussed the construction of a road to connect the state-protected Mahatma Phule monument, located 150 meters away, with the Kranti Jyoti Savitribai Phule monument, which was built on Pune Municipal Corporation property.

The plan includes rehabilitating the current residents and constructing a connecting road. There is also a proposal to acquire land from residents around Phule Wada to provide ample space for the memorial's expansion. Chhagan Bhujbal highlighted that the urban development department has already reserved this residential zone for the development of these two memorials.

Bhujbal instructed the Land Acquisition Department, Collector Office Pune, and Pune Municipality to expedite the land acquisition process for expanding both monuments and developing the connecting road. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also directed that a proposal be immediately submitted to the government to secure funds for compensating the adjacent landowners and tenants affected by the expansion.