Mumbai: The government of Maharashtra organised the first-ever Minority Welfare Workshop dedicated to the Sikh community last week at the Sahyadri Guest House in the city.
About The Workshop
The workshop, convened by the Minority Development Department, Government of Maharashtra, in collaboration with the Maharashtra State Punjabi Sahitya Academy, was aimed at empowering the state’s Sikh community and providing them with the awareness about how to access government welfare schemes.
The workshop began with a presentation that outlined the various welfare schemes available for the Sikh minority in Maharashtra. Ruchesh Jaivanshi, secretary, minority development department, conducted an interactive session with members of the community, ensuring that their voices were heard and acknowledged. The event was attended by representatives of the community from Mumbai, MMR region, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Nanded, Chandrapur, Parbhani, Hingoli, and other districts.
Members of the state’s Sikh community called the workshop a historical event that will help their empowerment. Community leader S Bal Malkit Singh, executive chairman of the Maharashtra State Punjabi Sahitya Academy, addressed the gathering and highlighted critical issues faced by Sikhs in the state. Several concerns were resolved during the workshop, while others have been taken up by the department for further action.
“This workshop is a historic step toward building a stronger partnership between the Sikh community and the government of Maharashtra. We are deeply grateful to the minority development department for their commitment to addressing the needs of our people. This initiative has brought hope, clarity, and confidence to thousands of families across the state,” said Singh.
In October 2024, the Maharashtra government reconstituted the Punjabi Sahitya Academy and also set up a 12-member committee under the Minorities Development Department to help the community access welfare programmes meant for minority groups.
