Sena to launch Shiv vada pav scheme in 10 civic markets

With the civic elections round the corner, Shiv Sena has decided to implement the Shiv vada pav scheme in 10 civic markets from January.

“We will launch the scheme in January in 10 civic markets. The next beneficiaries of this scheme will be announced later,” said standing committee chairman Rahul Shevale.

One of the most ambitious projects of the ruling Sena, it was announced in 2008 with much fanfare at Shivaji Park. The project was aimed to globalise the city’s trademark dish - vada pav - and also to provide employment to several Marathi youths in the city.
Initially, the project included setting up of 125 stalls, for which space would be provided by the civic body.

“The BMC has received about 5,000 applications asking for a Shiv vada pav stall, most of them are party workers. These applications from the Sainiks have proved to be the biggest headache for the party leadership in its efforts to commence the project,” said a civic official.

An aspirant from Dadar said, “If only Sena’s workers will be considered, what about the actual stall holders, who have been running their business since so many years?”