Celebrating silver jubilee of Akola Lokmat

Media Coverage | 10-06-2023

Maharashtra governor Ramesh Bais and State agriculture minister Abdul Sattar releasing ‘Panchvishi’,  the special issue of the Akola edition of Lokmat on the occasion its 25th anniversary, at a glittering ceremony in Akola on Saturday. Chairman of editorial board of Lokmat Media Group and former member of Rajya Sabha Dr Vijay Darda, editor-in-chief of Lokmat Media Group Rajendra Darda, group editor Vijay Baviskar, editor of Lokmat Akola edition Kiran Agrawal and Lokmat Akola unit head Alok Kumar Sharma were present on the occasion.

Bais: Maha farmers should get interest-free loans like Ch’garh

Guv promises to take up issue with State govt

Lokmat News Network

Akola

Expressing serious concern over farmers committing suicide in Maharashtra, governor Ramesh Bais said efforts should be made to determine its causes and empower them in various ways to prevent them from taking the extreme step.

 Farmers in Maharashtra, like those in Chhattisgarh, should be eligible for zero-interest loans, the governor said and added that he would discuss the issue with the government.

Ramesh Bais was speaking as the chief guest at a programme organised to mark the birth centenary year of veteran freedom fighter and founding editor of Lokmat Media Group Jawaharlal Darda alias ‘Babuji’ and the silver jubilee of the Akola edition of Lokmat at Hotel Grand Jalsa here on Saturday. The editor-in-chief of Lokmat Media Group Rajendra Darda presided over the programme.

Maharashtra agriculture minister Abdul Sattar, the chairman of editorial board of Lokmat Media Group and former member of Rajya Sabha Dr Vijay Darda  and group editor of Lokmat Media Group Vijay Baviskar were seated on the dais.

 Elaborating, governor Bais said, “In Chhattisgarh, the loans are available at village societies with zero percent interest.  Farmers are not required to go to the market to sell their produce like harvested paddy. The village societies purchase their produce and settle the debts of the farmers. So, there is no question of any loan recovery.  All the documents related to the Chhattisgarh model will be given to the Maharashtra government and if the model is implemented it would benefit Maharashtra farmers greatly.”

The governor also said, “While I was travelling around the world, I saw ‘Made in China products’ at all  the markets. Earlier, it used to be ‘Made in Japan’. But I believe that in the 21st century, the scenario will change  and it will be ‘Made in India’ products everywhere.

“India is a country of youths with quality. Similar to the skill development programme in Chhattisgarh for small-scale workers, if skilled artisans are trained and certified in Maharashtra, our youths will be able to get ample  employment abroad.

Governor Bais was felicitated by Dr. Vijay Darda and Rajendra Darda by presenting a postage stamp issued by the Government of India, ‘Suvarnamudra Granth’, a  coffee table book ‘Babuji’ and a souvenir.

Min: 10-yr jail for selling bogus seeds, fertilisers

State agriculture minister Abdul Sattar advocated for strict action against those selling spurious seeds and fertilisers. He said during the Monsoon Session of the State Legislature, a strict law will be enacted asking businesses to destroy stocks of bogus seeds, fertilisers and insecticides before the commencement of the sowing season, or in default face a 10-year prison sentence. “Raids were conducted by the agriculture department on vendors at 87 locations across the state, including Akola, and irregularities were found in 68 of them,” he added.

 

Lokmat is the voice

of democracy: Guv

Veteran freedom fighter and founder editor of Lokmat Media Group Jawaharlal Darda was a mass leader and he succeeded in transforming Lokmat into a newspaper of the common people, said Maharashtra governor Ramesh Bais.

Commending Lokmat, the governor said its history is fascinating and by covering the entire Maharashtra, Goa and Delhi at present, it has  become the voice of democracy. “The reasons behind Lokmat becoming  the number one daily is the legacy of Jawaharlal Darda’s thoughts, sacrifices, and vision. The Lokmat has never hesitated in raising any issue concerning the poor and the common man. This is the reason  why the newspaper has won the trust of the readers,” said the governor.

“I became a Lokmat reader when I moved to Maharashtra, and now I am satisfied that I can read Lokmat even when I go to Delhi,” he said.

 The chairman of editorial board of Lokmat Media Group and former member of Rajya Sabha Dr Vijay Darda has made Lokmat a global daily by introducing its digital version, and Lokmat is miles ahead of other newspapers due to its balance in rural and urban news coverage, he said.

 Bais further said he has not noticed Lokmat supporting any political party and the group has maintained a neutral stand. Applauding Lokmat, the governor added, “I have also never observed Lokmat defaming anyone’s character.”

Veterans in various fields feted

On this occasion, Sapta Khanjari player Satyapal Maharaj, Acharya Haribhau Verulkar Guruji, litterateur Namdev Kamble, Buldana Urban Bank chairman Radheshyam Chandak, former minister Azhar Hussain, research director of PDKV Dr Vilas Kharche, entrepreneur Siddharth Ruhatia, international boxer Sakshi Gaidhani were felicitated with a certificate and a memento each.

 

Governor gave honour to Maharashtra’s state song: Dr Vijay Darda

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Vijay Darda said that the National Anthem is sung in the governor’s event according to the protocol, but governor Bais gave the same honour to Maharashtra’s state song as well. There is an agriculture university here named after the country’s first agriculture minister Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh, still there is a high rate of farmer suicides in this region. He assured that Lokmat will continue to work for the farmers to give them strength. Explaining that the Varhad region has a different culture and it is always reflected in Lokmat, he stated that love is the soul of the region and efforts should be made to maintain it.

Need for medical colleges, independent university in Varhad: Rajendra Darda

There is a need for a separate university for Akola, Washim and Buldhana districts. Until this university takes shape, a sub-centre of the university should be started here, opined Rajendra Darda. “Lokmat continuously pursued the demand to establish a government medical college in Akola, but now considering the need of healthcare, I hope that medical colleges should be established in Washim, Buldhana as well,” he added.

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