Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar addressed several critical issues pertaining to the Maharashtra government during a press conference in Mumbai. He expressed deep concern about the security of women, the practice of contractual hiring, recent hospital deaths, and the state's education policies.
Sharad Pawar stated that between January 1 and May 31 of this year, a staggering 19,553 women were reported as "missing" in Maharashtra. This marks the second time in a week that Pawar has raised this issue, targeting the home department, which is overseen by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He voiced his apprehensions regarding the state government's commitment to maintaining law and order in Maharashtra.
Pawar further criticized the government for its reliance on "contractual hiring" for personnel in the Mumbai police force, asserting that the state has chosen to appoint individuals on a contractual basis. He argued that this approach was detrimental, emphasizing that the 11,203 recruitments made in the police, health, and education departments should not be contract-based. Instead, he advocated for these recruits to be incorporated into permanent government service.
The recent tragic deaths in state-run hospitals also came under scrutiny, with Pawar advocating for permanent recruitment in the health department instead of contract-based hiring. In a specific reference to the recent hospital deaths, he called for more permanent staffing as opposed to temporary contractual arrangements.
Sharad Pawar underscored the importance of considering reservations for women and individuals from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes when implementing contractual hiring practices. The government's decision to hire 3,000 personnel from its own security corporation, under contract, to assist the Mumbai police was met with criticism by Pawar.
Pawar further critiqued the education policies of the Maharashtra government. He expressed concern over the decision to close schools with low student enrollments and merge them with other schools. He argued that this approach would lead to students having to travel long distances to attend classes, which would not align with the state's historical commitment to education.
Moreover, he disapproved of the government's move to hand over state-run schools to private companies for adoption, asserting that it would grant private entities excessive influence in school affairs. Pawar highlighted an example where a school in Nashik, operated by an alcohol manufacturer, hosted a program featuring a popular rural dance artist, Gautami Patil, to emphasize his point.
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