Welcoming a move by the newly formed Maharashtra Government to restart 22 schemes meant for the Dhangar community, BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar said the schemes were halted by the previous government. The BJP MLC gave the credit to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for taking the initiative for the community.
A government resolution (GR) has been issued by the state government’s other backward class welfare department on August 17 asking all the departments to implement schemes for the welfare of the Dhangar community. The schemes include hostel facilities for the community students taking higher education in Navi Mumbai, Nashik, Aurangabad, Pune, Nagpur, and Amaravati.
Giving admissions to the community students in English medium schools, constructing 10,000 houses for the homeless, a provision for the nucleus budget for the programmes having no financial provision in the budget, a necessary training to youths for military and police recruitment and competitive exams, a special concession in exam fees, government aid in the poultry business and the goat farming, to ensure sustained livelihoods for shepherds hit by a monsoon, the state government to provide them monthly allowances between June and September, etc.
Padalkar was happy to share the GR on his social media account. “Then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had extended all schemes meant for tribals to Dhangar community also. However, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government stopped the 22 schemes. Now, the Deputy Chief Minister has again given the orders to restart the schemes. One cannot hide the work done for the backward class,” he said.
The schemes were first launched in 2019 by then Devendra Fadnavis-led government including 10,000 houses, ashram shalas, admissions seats, scholarships, and hostels for students of this community. The decision came after the community made demands to the government including reservation under the provision of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
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