Maharashtra state chief minister Eknath Shinde distributed 25 ambulances to various districts in the state to mark the death anniversary of his mentor Anand Dighe, a hugely popular politician from the Thane region who died on August 26, 2001.
Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) also held health camps at its shakhas (field offices) to honour Dighe, whose charisma helped the undivided Shiv Sena to become the most powerful party in the region, and whose legacy both factions lay claim to. Speaking at the event after distributing the keys of these ambulances to MLAs, shakha pramukhs of the beneficiary districts, Shinde said making ambulances available for the benefit of people was the brainchild of Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray.
So far 250 ambulances have been distributed and more will be made available as per demand from various regions in the state, Shinde said. In the last one year, a sum of Rs 100 crore had been distributed for various purposes from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, while this figure was just Rs 2.5 crore during the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government, he said.
Functionaries from both factions of the Shiv Sena visited 'Shakti Sthal', the memorial of Dighe, who died in a Thane hospital after being injured in a road accident.