Minister Scales Down Son’s Wedding, Donates Rs 1 Cr To Farmers
The wedding of Save’s son Anurag and Isha was planned to be held with great pomp on November 25.
Mumbai: In a noble gesture, Maharashtra Minister Atul Save decided to cancel the grand wedding ceremony planned for his son and donated Rs one crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to help farmers affected by drought in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of the state.
The wedding of Save’s son Anurag and Isha was planned to be held with great pomp on November 25. However, the families of both the bride and the groom decided that it would not be appropriate to host such a grand celebration while the farmers and the general public across Marathwada and other regions of the state are suffering due to a severe drought and acute water scarcity.
Accordingly, Save decided to cancel the grand wedding ceremony and hold a simple wedding ceremony for his son. Furthermore, he donated the funds saved from the planned festivities and donated it to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, amounting to a contribution of Rs one crore.
Explaining the decision to hold the wedding in a simple and family-only setting, Save said, “Due to drought in Marathwada and Vidarbha, we have decided to hold the wedding of my son Anurag Save and Isha Mule, daughter of Ajit Mule, in a simple ceremony at home. The Rs 1 crore saved from the wedding expenses has been donated to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. We will also organise a mass wedding for 50 couples and bear the one-year education fees of children of farmers who died by suicide,” Save said.
“When serving in public life, sharing in the joys and sorrows of society is not merely a responsibility, but a duty. I hope this modest contribution provides some relief to the farmers and families in need who are currently facing this crisis,” he added.
In Maharashtra – particularly in the Marathwada region – farmers and rural residents are facing a dire situation due to a severe water crisis and extensive crop damage. The State Government has officially declared a severe drought across 265 of the state’s 358 talukas (74 per cent of the state) following a critical 18 to 18.8 per cent monsoon rainfall deficit.
Compounded by an intensifying El Niño cycle, nearly three-quarters of the state is facing high water and agricultural stress. Reservoir and surface water levels have plummeted drastically, with some regions reporting as little as 7 per cent surface water left.