Banjara Virasat Museum in Washim, Maharashtra inaugurated by PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Banjara Museum in Washim, Maharashtra, on 5 October 2024. During his visit to Maharashtra on 5 October 2024, he visited Washim and Thane. At Washim, the Prime Minister launched several initiatives related to the agricultural and farming sector worth Rs 23,300 crore. During his visit to Thane, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various infrastructure projects.

Initiatives/schemes launched by Prime Minister Modi at Washim are as follows. 

Inauguration of Banjara Virasat Museum

• PM Modi inaugurated the Banjara Virasat Museum in Poharadevi at Washim in Maharashtra. The four-storey museum displays the rich heritage of the Banjara community and their legacies. It tells the story of the Banjara community's history and legacies through the portraits of Banjara leaders and the Banjara movement. 
• Prime Minister Modi also paid floral tribute to the memorials of Banjara leaders Sant Sevalal Maharaj and Sant Ramrao Maharaj.
• He also played the Nangara, a key musical instrument of the Banjara culture. 

Released 18th Installment of PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi

• The Prime Minister released the 18th Installment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi, worth about Rs 20,000 crore, directly into the bank accounts of around 9.5 crore farmers nationwide.
• The PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi scheme is a central government scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, on 24 February 2019. 
• Eligible farmers are paid Rs 6000 per year in three installments in their bank accounts.

5th installment of NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana Released by PM 

• The Prime Minister also released the 5th installment of the NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana at Washim. 
• The NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana of the Maharashtra government was launched by Prime Minister Modi at Shirdi, Maharashtra, on 26 October 2023. 
• It is a state government scheme under which eligible farmers get Rs 6000 per year in three installments. 
• The state government transfers the funds directly into the farmer's bank account.

Launch of Unified Genomic Chip for Cattle and Buffaloes

• The Prime Minister also launched the Unified Genomic Chip for cattle and Indigenous sex-sorted semen technology. 
• Indigenously developed  Unified Genomic Chip, GAUCHIP for cattle and MAHISHCHIP for buffaloes have been developed along with genotyping services. With the implementation of genomic selection.
•  It will be easier to identify young, high-quality bulls at an early age.
• This initiative will increase the availability of sex-sorted semen at affordable prices to farmers and reduce the cost by around Rs 200 per dose.

Dedication of five solar park 

The Prime Minister dedicated five solar parks to the nations. These five solar parks, with a cumulative capacity of 19 MW across Maharashtra, were built under the state government’s Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana—2.0 scheme.

The Prime Minister in Thane inaugurated various infrastructure projects. Some of them are as follows;

• Inaugurated the Rs 14,120 crore  BKC to Aarey JVLR section of Mumbai Metro Line - 3. 
• Laid, the foundation stone of the 29 km Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project, to be constructed at the cost of around Rs 12,200 crore. 
• Laid the foundation stone of Rs 3310 crore Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension from Chheda Nagar to Anand Nagar, 
• Laid the foundation stone of Phase-1 of the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) project worth around Rs 2,550 crore.