Mumbai, Aug 26 (IANS) Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said that the state government has approved a Rs 5 crore fund to purchase a building in London and construct a Maharashtra Bhavan there. He added that the longstanding demand of the Marathi community in London to get their own cultural building will now materialise.

Last week, representatives of the board had met Dy CM Pawar in Pune and requested financial assistance from the Maharashtra government to set up a Maharashtra Bhavan in a building bought from the Church of England.

Thereafter, he had directed the administration to submit a detailed proposal to the finance department. With the approval of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the state government has sanctioned a fund of Rs 5 crore to this organisation.

This fund will be used to set up a Maharashtra Bhavan, which will give Marathi people their own cultural and social centre in London, said the government release.

Maharashtra Mandal, London is one of the oldest Marathi organisations outside India and in the United Kingdom.

It was founded in 1932 by Mahatma Gandhi’s personal secretary, Dr N.C. Kelkar. The main objective of this organisation was to bring together the Marathi community in London and its surrounding areas through social and cultural programmes.

For the past 93 years, the Mandal has been organising various cultural programmes, festivals and social activities, said the government release.

Currently, more than one lakh Marathis in London and its surrounding areas are associated with this Mandal.

“However, since its establishment, the building of the Maharashtra Mandal in London was on lease. Therefore, the Marathi people there were demanding that they should have their own building,” said the release.

“Maharashtra Bhavan will be an important platform to strengthen bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and the Government of Maharashtra, and this Bhavan will also promote cultural exchange between India and the United Kingdom through Marathi literature, dance, music and festivals.

“Language classes, workshops and international conferences can be organised to promote and spread the Marathi language,” said Dy CM Pawar and expressed that this will help strengthen the Marathi language at the global level.

–IANS

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