Eknath Shinde Felicitates 20,000 Auto, Taxi Drivers in Borivali

Around 20,000 Hindi-speaking autorickshaw and taxi drivers were honoured with certificates at Kora Kendra Ground in Mumbai's Borivali after successfully completing Marathi language training for everyday communication.

Speaking at the felicitation programme, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the initiative was aimed at encouraging people to embrace Marathi rather than imposing the language on them. He emphasised that Marathi should be viewed as a language that brings people together rather than one that divides them.

According to Shinde, the language drive has seen widespread participation across the state, with around 1.6 lakh drivers across Maharashtra learning Marathi during the first phase of the initiative.

The programme recognised the efforts of the drivers in acquiring basic conversational skills in Marathi to assist them in their day-to-day interactions with commuters across the city.