Ajit showered with praise in uncle’s presence at Baramati event

Pune: Chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday lavished fulsome praise on their cabinet colleague Ajit Pawar at a Baramati event that was also attended by Sharad Pawar. The mainstay of the event was the government-organised Namo Employment Fair but the leaders also virtually inaugurated the newly constructed police sub headquarters and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) depot, which had been overseen by Ajit. Showered with plaudits by his allies, Ajit accepted them by saying that his “approach was always to do things that were Number One”.

The event had attracted immense attention in political circles, as Pawar Senior was initially omitted from the guest list. Nevertheless, he had expressed his willingness to participate in the programme and also invited the CM and his two deputies for lunch, which, however, the three declined. “Politics will continue but if the new generation is being helped, then everyone should cooperate,” said Pawar.

Also Read | Devendra Fadnavis says won't attend lunch to be hosted by Sharad Pawar

Shinde said the police sub-headquarters and MSRTC depot had set a new example for Maharashtra. “The workplace and residences for the police needed to be the best, something we have done in Baramati,” said Shinde, adding that Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar had played a major role in Baramati’s development. “The bus stand here is also a model bus stand that other places can emulate. I congratulate Ajit Pawar for this.” The old Baramati bus stand was a small one on a five-acre plot to which 53,000 square feet were later added.

Fadnavis said the sub-headquarters and bus depot looked like corporate structures. “I am tempted to say that Ajit dada should be appointed as consultant for all the police department buildings across the state,” he said, adding, “Of course, Ajit dada could ask me: why only consultant, hand me the home department. That I won’t. I will instead take Ajit Dada’s assistance to build.”

The new police sub headquarters have come up at a cost of ₹132 crore on 66 acres of land at Burhanpur in Baramati tehsil. The state government has built 196 residences for policemen on four acres of land nearby at a cost of ₹75 crore.

Also Read | Pawar divide deepens as Baramati is all set to witness big poll battle

Meanwhile, the job fair saw the participation of a large number of youth for the approximately 55,000 employment opportunities that were notified. Shinde and Fadnavis termed the fair “successful”, with the latter claiming that around 36,000 applications were received for the 55,000 employment opportunities.

“Ajit Pawar has put in a lot of effort into organising this fair, where the number of jobs available outnumber the applications. By tomorrow, I am sure more applications will come in, and all will get jobs according to their skills,” said Fadnavis.

According to the department of skills, employment, entrepreneurship and innovation, there are 347 firms participating in the fair, which have promised 55,072 jobs to youths from Pune, Solapur, Satara, Kolhapur and Sangli districts. A closer look, however, suggests that a few participating firms are placement consultancies, with most eyeing recruitment of ITI diploma-holders to be placed as trainees on a short-term basis.

The details put up by the department on its portal suggest that one of the placement agencies had promised to ensure the recruitment of 15,000 youths. The agency, however, clarified later that it was recruiting only 150.

Baramati MP Supriya Sule said she had come across reports that most jobs were apprenticeships rather than permanent positions. “I need to get more information on this but this is what I heard,” she said. Let’s see if this also turns out to be another ‘jumla’.”

Aam Aadmi Party leader Vijay Kumbhar too voiced his criticism. “Why is the government recruiting through placement agencies?” he questioned. “These agencies collect a share of the candidate’s salary along with the registration fee. Who is the government trying to provide employment to, unemployed youth or placement agencies?

A job applicant who had been asked to come to the job fair, said, “I am a science graduate and hope to get a job in a private firm, with a monthly salary of around ₹20,000. But I have yet to be contacted by the firm or any of the government departments.”