A Milestone for Women and Child Welfare: Foundation Laid for India's First Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Bhavan

The bhumipujan ceremony for India’s first Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Bhavan, to be constructed in the Mumbai Suburban District, took place at the Industrial Training Center operated by the Children’s Aid Society in Mankhurd. The building will be funded by the Mumbai Suburban District Planning Committee under the guidance of Cabinet Minister and Guardian Minister of the district, Mangal Prabhat Lodha. This international-standard Ahilya Bhavan, the first of its kind in India, will bring various offices of the Women and Child Development Department of Mumbai Suburban District under one roof. The project is expected to cost Rs 47 crore and will be built on a 35,500 square meter plot.

MLC Gopichand Padalkar and Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha were present at the event. Speaking on the occasion, Minister Lodha said, “This year marks the 300th birth anniversary of Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar. Today, her contributions are a source of pride not only for Maharashtra but for all of India. With this in mind, we have decided to build the first Punyashlok Ahilya Bhavan in the Mumbai Suburban District. We have performed the bhumipujan today, and within a year, we will also inaugurate it. This building will serve as an exemplary center for the welfare of women, girls, and children. I express my gratitude to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for supporting this decision. I also thank Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare for her cooperation. Next year, with our government still in power, if needed, we will allocate an additional ₹100 crore to create a monument here that will attract people from across the country to pay tribute to Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar."

This building will feature an upgraded counseling center as part of the initiative to support women in distress and victims of violence, providing them with psychological and legal counseling. Efforts will be made to rehabilitate victims through necessary guidance. Additionally, a state-of-the-art auditorium with a 200-person capacity will be built within the complex to provide various types of training related to legal, developmental, and other essential aspects for women. The complex will also include a dedicated rest house for officers from the Women and Child Development Department visiting Mumbai from across the state. Moreover, NGOs working for the development of women and children will also have access to this rest house.

The following offices under the Women and Child Development Department of Mumbai Suburban District will be housed within the Ahilya Bhavan complex:

Child Development Project Officer offices (Urban): A total of 20 offices will be located in this building, most of which are currently operating out of rented spaces in Mumbai.

Mumbai Regional Office of the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission

Mumbai Regional Office of the Child Rights Commission

Child Welfare Committee: Considering the area and population of the Mumbai Suburban District, two Child Welfare Committees function in this district. These committees hold judicial powers to make decisions regarding children in need of care and protection. Two separate offices, equipped with modern facilities, will be housed in this building.

Juvenile Justice Board: Given the increasing involvement of children in crimes within the Mumbai Suburban District, two Juvenile Justice Boards have been established under the supervision of First Class Judicial Magistrates. This building will house modern, well-equipped offices for both boards.

Mumbai Office of the Maharashtra Women’s Economic Development Corporation: The office of the Women’s Economic Development Corporation, which has successfully led the women's empowerment movement through savings groups, will also be housed in this building.

Renaming of Government Industrial Training Institute, Borivali

A decision was recently made to name government industrial institutions after prominent figures who have contributed to India's progress. Accordingly, the Government Industrial Training Institute in Borivali has been renamed as Pramukh Swami Maharaj Government Industrial Training Institute.