"Opposition spread false information on contractual recruitment GR": Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has accused opposition parties of spreading false information about a government order regarding the recruitment of staff on a contract basis, which the current Eknath Shinde administration has since revoked.

The government order in question was meant to hire staff through nine private agencies, but Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced its cancellation, claiming it was a decision made by the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to employ workers on a short-term basis.

Fadnavis asserted that government resolutions (GRs) related to contractual hiring were issued during the 15-year rule of the Democratic Front (DF) coalition, led by Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj Chavan from 1999 to 2014. However, the Congress leaders disputed this claim. Fadnavis' decision to scrap the GR came amid opposition parties' criticism of the Eknath Shinde government over contractual recruitment.

Talking to reporters here during his visit here, Ajit Pawar said, "The GR was right, but the opposition deliberately spread false propaganda over it. Misunderstanding was created among the youth about this (recruitment) process. Many things were spoken about this GR like people will not get jobs and some will lose their jobs which was incorrect."

During his visit to Pune, Ajit Pawar reviewed ongoing projects in the city, starting with the proposed site of the Mutha riverfront development project in Yerawada at 6 am. He later visited an Oxygen Park in Kharadi and a water purification centre in the same area.

When asked why he prefers to visit project sites in the morning time, the Pune district guardian minister said, the only reason I undertake visits to review projects very early in the morning is that people should not get disturbed due to my visit. Whenever I visit any destination, office-goers, school-going students may face problems due to my convoy. Hence, I think the early morning visits are beneficial, he said.