Mumbai: A major decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting to rename Ahmednagar city as Ahilya Nagar. The cabinet also approved the renaming of Velha taluka of Pune district as Rajgad.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the decision of the state cabinet to rename Ahmednagar city as 'Ahilya Nagar' is a tribute to the work of Punyashlok Ahilyadevi, taking forward her thoughts, work, memory and inspiring the people's representatives to do good work. This has fulfilled the important wishes of the residents of Ahmednagar city, the residents of the district, and the 13 crore citizens of Maharashtra. MLAs Sangram Jagtap, Dattamama Bharne, Ashutosh Kale, and Nitin Pawar have played an important role in taking this decision, he said.
There are also important historical forts like Rajgad and Torana in Velhe taluka of Pune district. The State Cabinet has decided to name the historic Rajgad Fort, the first capital of Swarajya, from which Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ruled Swarajya for 27 years. Ajit Pawar had made continuous efforts for the last few years as guardian minister of Pune district due to the cabinet's decision to rename Velhe taluka as 'Rajgad'.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had played an important role in getting positive resolutions of 58 out of 70 gram panchayats in the taluka to rename Velhe taluka as 'Rajgad', getting the recommendation of 'Rajgad' approved in the general body meeting of Pune Zilla Parishad on November 22, 2021, and submitting such a proposal from the Pune Divisional Commissioner on May 5, 2022.