NCP Leader Sunetra Pawar Takes Charge As Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister; First Woman To Hold Post

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sunetra Pawar on Tuesday took charge as the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister. The newly appointed Deputy CM has been allocated the portfolios of State Excise Duty, Sports and Youth Affairs and Minorities Development and Auqaf.

Earlier in the day, Pawar visited the Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple in Prabhadevi and offered prayers ahead of assuming office.

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NCP MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, Maharashtra State Women's Commission Chairperson Rupali Chakankar, Parth Ajit Pawar, Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust Chairman Sadanand Saravankar, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The post fell vacant after Ajit Pawar passed away on January 28, when a chartered aircraft carrying him crash-landed in Baramati. His personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two pilots were also among those who lost their lives in the incident.

Pawar's last rites were carried out with full state honours at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati on January 29, where his sons lit the funeral pyre and carried out the final rituals.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis now holds the portfolios of Planning and Finance, which were previously assigned to the late Ajit Pawar, former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Sunetra Pawar was also elected as NCP Legislative Party Leader. She is known for her work in sustainable development, environmental conservation, and rural empowerment.

A Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, she has emerged as a driving force behind several initiatives that promote inclusive and sustainable progress.

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In 2010, she founded the Environmental Forum of India (EFOI), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to raising environmental awareness and fostering eco-conscious communities.

She has led extensive grassroots campaigns focusing on biodiversity conservation, protection of endangered species, water resource management, and drought mitigation.

Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by The Daily Jagran staff and has been published through syndicated feed by ANI.