Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here on Thursday expressed confidence that the pace of government’s functioning will increase if there are communicators like members of Young Inspirators Network (YIN). Addressing the concluding session of Sakal Media Group’s YIN Assembly, Fadnavis said, “There is no fault of planning in the development process but there are difficulties in implementation.”

The Chief Minister also invited the YIN members to join internship at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in Mumbai.
Delivering Change Foundation’s Chairman and Sakal Media Group’s Managing Director Abhijit Pawar and Maharashtra State Assembly’s former speaker Arun Gujarathi were present on the occasion.

Fadnavis said that the inequality gap between cities and villages will be abridged with investment in agriculture and converting the villages into ‘smart’ villages with the help of modern technology. The aim of integral development will be achieved through people’s participation and cooperation of the YIN members, he said.

The YIN Assembly session turned lively with an interaction of the YIN Cabinet and district guardian ministers. The Chief Minister answered the various questions on agriculture, irrigation, urban development and rural development. “The Jal Yukta Shivar programme has been successful,” Fadnavis said, adding that the network of the YIN will be efficiently used for this programme. He said that a water grid will be used for drought-prone areas like Marathwada and water will be supplied through closed pipes to prevent evaporation.

Sandeep Palve, a youth residing at Wadala slums asked the Chief Minister when his dream of owning a house will be fulfilled. Fadnavis replied that the government has been making efforts to free the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scheme from the clutches of the builders. “This year Dharavi Redevelopment Scheme will commence, there will also be a redevelopment of the BDD Chawl and everyone’s dream of owning a house will be fulfilled,” he said.

Education Minister Vinod Tawde, who also addressed the YIN Assembly, has offered the YIN cabinet an opportunity to attend the forthcoming budget session of the Maharashtra State Legislature. “The youth will also get to know how the questions and answers are prepared before the Assembly session and how replies to the questions raised by the legislators are prepared,” Tawde said. He added that the government is planning to conduct the college elections on the style of the US Presidential elections.

Mumbai: “Children are dying due to malnourishment. Farmers are committing suicide. At such a time, is this society really worth living in? Through this first session, YIN must raise its voice against this injustice. There is a need to put a stop to the injustice and exploitation of the common man. The Indian Constitution has envisaged a socialist society free of exploitation. You have to prove this by your actions,” said YIN Governor and former judge, Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari.

He was guiding the elected representatives of the Sakal Media Group’s Young Inspirators Network (YIN) during the first-ever session of the YIN Assembly at the Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan’s auditorium in Mumbai on Wednesday. The students present were elected through the YIN elections held across 2,500 colleges in the State earlier this year.

Altogether 23 members of the YIN Cabinet and 36 Guardian Ministers from various districts of the State were present during the session. The auditorium was transformed to look like the Assembly.

Before the session commenced, Editor-in-Chief of the Sakal Media Group, Shriram Pawar, told the members that they are the representatives for the aspirations of 17 lakh youth from the State. “I hope that the aspirations of the youth are reflected,” he said.

Justice Dharmadhikari was the Governor for the Assembly while former speaker of the State Assembly Arun Gujarati was the speaker for the first session. Administrative Officers like Secretary Varsha Gaikwad, Deputy Speaker Ravi Masal and Deputy Secretary Shamsundar Madewar were also present. The work for the Assembly began with the playing of the National Anthem.
Justice Dharmadhikari said, “It is important whether you fought the election or played but you must forget the fight and remember the playfulness. I am looking at elections everywhere so if you have won the election, then work like a winner as well.”

He explained to the members that ‘nation’ and ‘country’ are two different concepts. “The concept of nation is associated with the its inhabitants while country is a geographical concept. According to me, whether people of Kashmir want to live in the country or not has no reference. But I want to live with them is important. So leave politics and embrace nationalism. If there is no nationalism, then no approach is appropriate,” he explained.

He appealed to the members of the Cabinet to refrain from being like the previous generations. “Where the last generation stops, the new generation takes over. I am worried about the growing number of farmer suicides in the country. We need to understand why suicides are taking place and why there is no value attached to human labour. Why do the farmers who feed the country have no respect. Unless they get respect and value for their labour, suicides will not stop,” he said.

Dharmadhikari said that ministers are the custodians of citizens’ interest. “This has been upheld by the judiciary too but unfortunately the guardians have become the owners. If the society is designed on the basis of exploitation, then how will socialism survive? I feel we need to remove the term socialism from our constitution. Why keep it merely as a formality?” he explained.

Commenting on the image of politicians across the world, he added that once they enter politics, they change. “A survey of youth across the world has shown that they have hatred towards politicians. What kind of language is being used by the candidate in the US Presidential race, Donald Trump? Why can’t we have cultured politicians? This generation has the strength while the last generations had the habit of tolerating injustice and violence. But this generation revolts against injustice,” he said.

The mega play ‘Janata Raja’ organised by the Sakal Media Group in association with 115, Hilltown and Manikchand Rasiklal Dhariwal Foundation was houseful as Puneites came to see the legacy of Maharashtra culture.

Mr. Vijay Parage, President of Pune Newspaper Distributors Association did the Maha arati of Tuljabhavani and marked the beginning of the play. On the occasion, Mr. Shirish Deshpande, Chief Executive Officer of Buldhana Urban Credit Society was also present. Along with him, Mrs. Shalini Kadu, Block Development Officer; Mr.Prashant Dhage, Mulshi tehsildar; and Mr. Balasaheb Shendage, Sarpanch of Bhugaon; Mr.Balasaheb Chandar, Shiv Sena Baramati City Liaison Officer, Mr.Rahul Jayswani and Mr.Prashant Ranwade were present.

Mr.Pranav Joshi, a spectator, said that the mega play was mesmerising.

“The dialogues of the play touched the soul of every member of the audience. The work makes every native of Maharashtra proud as it showcases the legacy of the State in its true way. It brings out the great work of our ancestors alive,” said Joshi.

PUNE: Readers in Maharashtra have endorsed Sakal as the highest circulated newspaper in Maharashtra. According to Audit Bureau of Circulation’s (ABC) latest report, in comparison to other rivals, Sakal is the highest sold newspaper in Maharashtra.

These are the findings of a circulation audit undertaken by the ABC through its empanelled auditors.

The ABC takes into account net paid newspaper copies complying with all ABC audit guidelines. The findings and statistics of ABC are considered as reliable and official with relation to print media in the advertisement and publishing sectors.

The report was conducted for the period of July to December 2015.

As per ABC statistics, the daily circulation of Pune edition of Sakal is over 6.04 lakh average. The sale of Sakal in Pune and Mumbai is 7,30,771 average copies daily with a total (average per day) circulation of 13,37,901 copies across Maharashtra. The ABC’s latest findings also reveal that readers from new cities in Maharashtra too have favoured Sakal.

Sakal which has earned a name in Marathi newspaper industry has also observed social commitment in its eight and half decades long existence. The newspaper has also given a wider scope to this social commitment with participation of people from all over the State. This journey includes Sakal Social Foundation, Sakal Relief Fund, Delivering Change Foundation, the Pune Bus Day initiative which sought answers to the problem of traffic, Tanishka Women’s Dignity Forum which empowers women, Young Inspirators Network which identifies leadership qualities among youngsters, the Water Conference which seeks to make Maharashtra drought-free and the Sarpanch Conference which seeks to fulfil the dreams of rural development.

Getting connected with the people’s sentiments is an intrinsic characteristic of all initiatives of the Sakal Media Group.

Shri Pratap Pawar, Padma Shri awardee and Chairman of Sakal Media Group, feels that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must succeed in his endeavours and people must give him a chance.

He was responding to questions during a public interview ‘Meet the Stalwart’ with compere Mr. Sudhir Gadgil organised by the Jan Seva Foundation, Lions Club International 323 D2 and many other organisations at Balgandharva Rangmandir.

When asked about his views on Prime Minister, Shri Pawar said, “I feel that Mr. Modi must be successful as he has the determination and sincerity. I do not doubt his intentions. People must give him a chance to succeed.”

During the interview, Shri Pawar also touched on several facets of his personal life starting from his childhood and educational decisions to running the business and being associated with so much social work. He shared his experiences while studying at Fergusson College in Pune, followed by his graduation in Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani.

Speaking about his association with social work, Shri Pawar said he wishes to do as much good for the society as he can in his lifetime.

“I have met numerous selfless people in my life and even seen social work undertaken by my family. This has developed a social mindedness in me. I was handed the responsibility of Poona Blind School soon after my graduation. I have never asked anyone for any post, people have come to me,” he said.

He spoke about Sakal Relief Fund, the establishment of a community college in Kolhapur and helping students through the incubation centre at the Science and Technology Park at Savitribai Phule Pune University. Pawar also spoke about his association with the Bal Kalyan Sanstha and Vidyarthi Sahayak Samiti.

Speaking about Mr. Sharad Pawar, he said that neither he nor any other siblings have ever thought of being dependent on him in life. He added that when he was planning to buy Sakal, he was very clear that the paper would not be a publicity tool for political purposes. “In the last 35 years, Sakal has been working for the benefit of the society. I have given the editors complete freedom,” he explained.

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Sakal Auto Expo, an exhibition where all major car manufacturers and dealers showcased their brand new cars, concluded with an overwhelming response from visitors on Sunday. This two-day expo was organised at Pandit Farms by Sakal Media Group.

The eight automobile giants Volkswagen, Tata, Toyota, Renault, Skoda, Honda, Hyundai and Maruti, showcased their recently launched cars.

A significant display of pre-owned cars was also presented along with the exhibit of new cars, which proved to be appealing for the people who were interested in buying second hand and low budget cars.

“The display at the exhibit was great as we had an access to browse through so many options in cars all at one place. I have seen such a forum for the first time and it helped a lot to compare the prices,” said Mr. Ashutosh Gadgil, an IT professional from the city.

Many visitors utilised this chance to get details about their desired cars and to compare them with other cars of the same standards.

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Sakal ‘Vastu’, a three-day property exhibition hosted by Sakal, concluded with a lot of enthusiasm shown by Puneites. Numerous visitors availed the opportunity of browsing through more than 400 projects displayed by various builders of the city at Pandit Farms.

More than 80 builders and developers were present at the expo under one roof, which was convenient for consumers to look for the one property that suited their needs.

The range of the properties displayed at the expo varied between Rs 20 lakh to Rs 2 crore.

Apart from 2 BHK and 3 BHK Apartments, Duplexes, Triplexes and Penthouses, Live-Plus-Work apartments were high on demand by the visitors. Projects across Baner, Hinjawadi, Kothrud, Bavdhan, Wagholi, Talegaon and Kondhwa were enquired about the most.

The expo also had stalls to provide financial assistance for home loans and other financial aids, which attracted many visitors.

In addition to the prime locations in the city, peripheral areas like Sinhgad Road, Hadapsar, Hinjawadi, Pirangut, Bhor and Mulshi too got a lot of preference from the visitors.

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Sakal’s Nanded edition receives an overwhelming response with representatives from various organizations and readers from Nanded, Parbhani and Hingoli district attending the event at MIDC on 29th March, 2016.

On this occaasion, Sakal inaugurated “Deepstambh Kartutwacha” & “Garudzhep Nandedchi”.

Hon. Shri. Pratap Pawar, Chairman, Sakal Media Group; Ms. Mangala Gundale, Chairman of ZP; Ms. Shailaja Swami, Mayor, Nanded; Mr. Bhausaheb Patil, Director(IT), Sakal Media Group; and Mr. Shriram Pawar, Chief-Editor, Sakal Media Group were present at the inaugration ceremony.

Mr. Pratap Pawar discussed how there is a need for development in the Education and Agriculture sector in the rural areas of Maharashtra. Just criticizing the Government is not a solution. “The Sakal Media Group has always come forward to solve problems faced by the people at the grassroots level. We have always supported farmers who are ready to adopt modern techniques of agriculture. Through the Sakal Relief Fund, we have also contributed in digging and fixing canals, and undertaken activities such as silt excavation to resolve water scarcity problems. This has lead to an increase in the storage capacity in the Marathwada region itself”, he further added.

“It is the duty of the Government and other civic bodies to work towards the drought areas; but the Sakal Media Group has generated awareness by publicizing these problems and has been working relentlessly for the people. Sakal persistently works for the community, and with the community,” said Mr. Kadam.

On the occasion of Republic Day this year, a new web offset printing unit in the industrial area was inaugurated by Mr. Ramdas Kadam, Guardian Minister. Mr. Raosaheb Danve, MP, BJP was the chief guest of the event. Mr. Bhausaheb Patil, Director IT, Sakal Media Group along with  Mr. Shirsaat, MLA; Mr. Abdul Sattar, Mr. Satish Chavan, Mr. Sandipan Bhumre, Mr. Subhash Zhambde, Mr. Atul Save, Mr. Narayan Kuche, Mr. Prashant Bamb,  Mr. Triyanbak Tupe, Mayor;  Mr. Pramod Rathod, Deputy Mayor; Mr. Sriram Mahajan, Chairman, Zilla Parishad;  Mr. Ambadas Danve, District Chief, Shivsena; Mr. Prabhakar Palodkar, Former Chairman; Mr. Annasaheb Mane, Former MLA; Mr. Kishanchand Tanvani and Mr. Ramesh Bodke, Deputy GM, Marathwada Publication were also present during the inauguration.

Mr. Kadam said, “The Media and Public Representatives are two sides of the same coin. ‘Sakal’ is the newspaper of the masses, and not related to any particular party. Mr. Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena Chief, has promised to fill in the gap wherever the Government will fall short. In accordance to this, a 10 crore rupee relief fund was given to the draught struck farmers. Around 20,000 farmers were given food grains in Beed and Aurangabad. This is an effort to wash out the stains of farmer suicide on Maharashtra. With this initiative, Sakal is playing different roles at different levels to help the drought farmers in the Marathwada region.

On the occasion of launch of Akola edition of Sakal, Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Union Road Transport Minister, praised the leading newspaper for thinking about the future of the society.

Mr. Gadkari said, “Sakal is committed to the cause of social awakening and education. It  will also  inspire the people in the Varhad region for ushering in development.”

According to him, ” The taste of the people is changing continuously and the society is facing a variety of challenges. The Sakal Media Group is providing perspectives to find solutions to these challenges. The newspaper does not only offer criticism but also contributes to solve various fundamental issues.”

Mr. Gadkari also expressed confidence that Sakal will take into account the strong and weak points of the Vardhad region and will offer it a new vision to achieve progress.

The launch ceremony was attended by Shri. Pratap Pawar, Chairman, Sakal Media Group; Mrs. Bharati Pawar, Mr. Sudhir Mungantiwar, State Finance Minister; Dr Ranjit Patil, District Guradian Minister, Akola; Mrs. Ujjwala Deshmukh, Mayor, Akola; Mr. Ravikant Tupkar, Chairman, Maharashtra Textile Corporation; Mr. Sanjay Dhotre, Mr. Prataprao Jadhav, Mrs. Bhavana Gawli, MPs; Mr. Subhash Rathi, Chairman, Washim Urban Bank and Dr Raviprakash Dani, Vice-Chancellor, Agriculture University.

Shri. Pratap Pawar said, “Sakal aims at providing quality news and information and also wishes to contribute to the development of the local people. The Sakal Media Group has always given priority to the interests of the common masses. We have stood by the common people and will continue to do so in future.”

Shri. Pawar said that Sakal Media Group has given top importance to social commitment. “During the last two years, we have hardly spent Rs 5 crore to increase as much as 500 crore of litres of water and this scheme was successfully implemented with people’s participation. The scheme was implemented through members of Tanishka Foundation and 10,000 sarpanches. Whenever the country’s various regions – right from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari – faced a crisis, the Sakal Media Group has rushed to the rescue of people. This has been the tradition of the Sakal Media Group for the past 60 years.”

Shri. Pawar further added, “Elected representatives, government officers and associated agencies are participating in various social projects joining in our social initiatives.”

A special issue of ‘Varhad Vaibhav’ was also released by the chief guests on this occasion.

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The ‘Sakal Diwali Faral Festival 2015’ organized by the Sakal Media Group generated an overwhelming response on its inaugural day from Puneites, who thronged the festival for their Diwali shopping. The event was inaugurated by Mr. Shashikant Kekare, Joint Commissioner (Food), FDA.

Present on this occasion were Mr. Umesh Sathaye, Regional Business Manager, Gemini Cooking Oil; Mr. Vishal Chordia, Director, Strategy and Marketing, Suhana Pravin Masalewale; and Mr. Mandar Desai, Director, Desai Bandhu Ambewale.

The four-day festival is organized at Pandit Farms, Rajaram Bridge Road, between 4 pm and 10 pm. The fest is sponsored by Gemini Oil while, Desai Bandhu Ambewale and Pravin Masalewale are the co-sponsors.

In his inaugural speech, Mr Kekare said, “This festival will be appreciated by all as good quality items are available here and that too at affordable prices. Also, it would be very convenient for people to do their shopping for Diwali under one roof.” The festival offers people a wide range of items including lanterns, gift items, sweets, dress materials, dry fruit boxes, chocolate boxes, diyas, rangolis and much more.

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