Sunetra Pawar Appointed Guardian Minister For Pune And Beed
Sunetra Pawar Appointed Guardian Minister For Pune And Beed
Pune, February 3, 2026: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has been given additional responsibility as the guardian minister for Pune and Beed districts, according to a decision taken by the state government on Tuesday, February 3.
The appointment comes shortly after Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister on January 31, marking a historic moment as she became the first woman to hold the post in Maharashtra. Following her induction into the cabinet, she was assigned charge of the excise, sports, minority development and Auqaf departments. However, the finance and planning portfolios, earlier handled by her late husband Ajit Pawar, were not included in her responsibilities.
Ajit Pawar’s sudden death had a profound impact on the state’s political environment. He died on January 28 after the chartered aircraft he was travelling in crashed near the tabletop runway in Baramati during a landing attempt. The accident claimed the lives of all five people on board, including two pilots, a crew member and Pawar’s personal security officer.
The veteran leader, who had served as Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister for the longest duration across multiple terms, was accorded a state funeral on January 29 at the Vidya Pratishthan Grounds in Baramati. The ceremony was attended by family members, senior political leaders and thousands of supporters, reflecting the widespread grief following his passing.
With her new role as guardian minister, Sunetra Pawar will now oversee administrative coordination and development-related matters in Pune and Beed, two politically and economically significant districts of the state.
