Devendra Fadnavis announces the donation of MUR 44 million for a a multipurpose hall at the Maharashtra Bhawan in Moka.

Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, concluded a two-day official visit to Mauritius on Saturday, 29 April 2023. He was accompanied by a delegation comprising senior Officials from the State of Maharashtra.

Shri Devendra Fadnavis paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Hon Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, on Friday, 28 April 2023, at the Royal Green Wellness Resort, in Moka. After the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister stated that he had fruitful discussions on the potential of exploiting avenues of cooperation with both Prime Minister Jugnauth, as well as with the President of the Republic of Mauritius, H.E. Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun GCSK, whom he had met earlier at the State House in Réduit.

Shri Fadnavis also had a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Land Use Planning and Minister of Tourism, Hon Steven Obeegadoo; the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Hon Alan Ganoo GCSK; the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr the Hon Renganaden Padayachy; and the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Hon Darsanand Balgobin.

A Mauritius-Maharashtra Business Forum was organized at the Hennessy Park Hotel in Ebène, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade and the Economic Development Board (EDB), during which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aiming to promote investment and trade between Mauritius and India, was signed.

The Hon A Ganoo, while addressing the Forum, stated that the MoU will provide an opportunity to forge strategic partnership and encourage investment while enhancing the economic relations between Mauritius and Maharashtra. Minister Ganoo mentioned that the official visit of Shri Fadnavis is pursuant to an excellent and friendly meeting he had with him in March 2023 in Mumbai, following his participation at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi. While referring to the bilateral partnership with the State of Maharashtra, he indicated that Maharashtra will strengthen cooperation with Mauritius by financing scholarship in Marathi language, marine sciences and information technology. Moreover, an agreement will be signed in the field of technology.

In his address, the Finance Minister, Dr the Hon Renganaden Padayachy emphasised the bond between Mauritius and India that has evolved into mutually beneficial relationship on the economic front. He also spoke on the preferential market access that the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) offers to Mauritius and India. The CECPA, effective as from 01 April 2021 is the first trade agreement signed by India with an African country.

Shri Devendra Fadnavis underscored the historical ties and the shared future of India and Mauritius. According to him, with the signing of the MoU, a new chapter is being charted in the history of both countries, more particularly a new relationship is being forged at sub-national level between Maharashtra and Mauritius. He also commended Mauritius for the impressive economic progress achieved so far and stressed that Maharashtra and Mauritius can collaborate for mutual benefits in the tourism sector and looks forward to further strengthening the bilateral and economic relations between both countries. He said that the State of Maharashtra is the power house of India and stated that it accounts for 15% of its GDP. He also highlighted that while India endeavours to become a five-trillion-dollar economy, Maharashtra, aspires to become a one trillion economy in the next five to seven years.

The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra unveiled on Friday evening, a 12-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at the Maharashtra Bhawan in Moka, along with the Prime Minister, Hon Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. The Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Hon Alan Ganoo GCSK, the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius, Mrs Nandini Singla and other eminent personalities were also present on the occasion organised by the Mauritius Marathi Mandali Federation to mark the Maharashtra and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Day. A cultural programme was also held on the occasion.

In his address, the Prime Minister underscored that the gracious presence of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, shows how much he values the strong bonding between the Marathi community in Mauritius and Maharashtra. The Prime Minister underpinned the valuable contribution of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in cementing the Marathi religion and culture and forge the cultural identity of the Marathi community in India. He was a great warrior and a just leader who won the admiration of Indians, he remarked.

Prime Minister Jugnauth also stressed the importance of preserving all the different religious and cultural identities that thrive in the multicultural fabric of Mauritius. He called for the strengthening of unity, harmony and patriotism, which he said will help the country progress.

The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra expressed gratitude to the Government of Mauritius and the Mauritius Marathi Mandali Federation for the unveiling of the statue of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mauritius, which he said is a testimony of his greatness. He praised the legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a visionary king, a brave and courageous leader, a person of valor and the most righteous king.

The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra expressed conviction that under the leadership of the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Mauritius will further cement its relations with Maharashtra and India.
He then announced that in order to further deepen the cultural and business ties between Maharashtra and Mauritius, an amount of MUR 44 million will be donated for the construction of a multipurpose hall at the Maharashtra Bhawan; scholarships will also be provided to ten students; a help desk will be set up for Mauritians of the Marathi community who want to connect to their ancestral roots.

Minister Alan Ganoo stated that it is a privilege to have our Prime Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra side by side to grace the event. He expressed gratitude to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for the generous donation of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose unveiling, he emphasised, is of great significance as it marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Mauritius. He stated that the official visit of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra to Mauritius translates into an effective manner the shared vision for the establishment of stronger relations between the state of Maharashtra, India and Mauritius.

On Saturday, 29 April the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra visited the 1st settlement of Marathi Community in the Black River Gorges, back in the 1830s, the Cascavelle Pandhurang Khestra Mandir; the Mauritius Marathi Mitra Mandal in New Grove and the Ganga Talao before leaving for Mumbai.