Maharashtra govt announces movie on Ahilyabai Holkar, schemes for Dhangar community

Among other key decisions, the cabinet sanctioned Rs 10.50 crore for the Adishakti Mission, a programme aimed at the empowerment of women, Fadnavis said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced a series of decisions centred around the legacy of erstwhile Indore queen Ahilyabai Holkar, including a film on her life and schemes aimed at the welfare of the Dhangar (shepherd) community.

For the first time, the state cabinet convened at Chondi village in Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar), the birthplace of Holkar. To mark her tercentenary year, the cabinet approved the production of a biographical film on her life. The movie will be made in Marathi and other regional languages, and will be broadcast on Doordarshan and various OTT platforms. Film City in Goregaon has been tasked with executing the project, the chief minister said.

Among other key decisions, the cabinet sanctioned Rs 10.50 crore for the Adishakti Mission, a programme aimed at the empowerment of women, Fadnavis said. The government will also establish a 430-bed hospital and a medical college in Ahilyanagar district, with a total allocation of Rs 458 crore, the chief minister told reporters after chairing the cabinet meeting. To honour the contributions of Indore King Raje Yeshwantrao Holkar, especially in education (1797–1811), the cabinet approved the enrolment of Dhangar community students in reputed residential schools, the CMO said in a statement.

Between 2021–22 and 2024–25, 31,300 students have been enrolled in 162 schools under this initiative, with Rs 288 crore disbursed so far. The cabinet also approved the construction of hostels for meritorious Dhangar students at the revenue division headquarters in Navi Mumbai, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, Nagpur, and Amravati.

Each hostel will accommodate 200 students—100 male and 100 female. Construction has already begun in Nashik, with Pune and Nagpur projects to begin shortly.

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Fadnavis said an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) exclusively for girl students will be established in Ahilyanagar district. Additionally, Rs 75 crore has been sanctioned for the restoration and rejuvenation of water bodies originally built by Ahilyabai Holkar.

This will include desilting and conservation efforts. The project covers three lakes located in Chandwad, Trimbakeshwar, and Jejuri, along with 19 wells, six ghats, and six pools. Ahilyabai was the ruling queen of Indore within the Maratha Empire. She established Maheshwar as the seat of the Holkar Dynasty. Known as 'punyashlok' or pious for her religious practices, she is renowned for good governance, social welfare, and humanitarian work, along with educational and cultural advancements.