Eknath Shinde Pushes PMC to Appoint Pahalgam Victim’s Daughter to Government Post
Eknath Shinde Pushes PMC to Appoint Pahalgam Victim’s Daughter to Government Post
Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has moved to fulfill a promise made to the family of a Pune resident killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, directing the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to offer a government job to the victim’s daughter on compassionate grounds.
The directive concerns Asawari Jagdale, daughter of Santosh Jagdale, who was among the 26 people shot dead when terrorists opened fire at Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam on April 22 last year. Santosh Jagdale, a resident of Pune, was one of six victims from Maharashtra who lost their lives in the tragic incident.
Soon after the attack, Shinde had personally met the grieving Jagdale family and assured them of financial assistance along with support in securing government employment for Asawari. The state government had also announced a compensation package of Rs 50 lakh for each of the affected families from Maharashtra and promised jobs to eligible next of kin.
Acting on that assurance, Shinde on Monday spoke with Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram. Holding the Urban Development portfolio, Shinde oversees civic bodies such as the PMC. During the conversation, he instructed the commissioner to arrange a meeting with Asawari and initiate steps to create a suitable position within the civic administration that matches her educational qualifications. He further emphasized that the state government would approve her appointment as a special case under compassionate grounds.
According to officials, Asawari has already been contacted, and inquiries have been made regarding her academic background to ensure that the post offered aligns with her qualifications. The administrative process to formalize her induction into government service is expected to move forward shortly.
However, nearly ten months after the deadly attack, Asawari had expressed concern over the delay in implementing the government’s assurance. Speaking in Pune on Monday, she highlighted that the promised employment had yet to materialize.
Amid the growing attention on the matter, BJP leader Navnath Ban stated that he would raise the issue of the delay directly with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure swift action. Reiterating the government’s stance, Shinde said, “The government is sensitive to the issue and should induct Asawari into government service on compassionate grounds at the earliest.”
