______∗SYNOPSIS OF DEBATE ______(Proceedings other than Questions and Answers) ______Thursday, August 16, 2012/Sravana 25, 1934 (Saka) ______OBITUARY REFERENCE MR. CHAIRMAN: Hon. Members, I refer with profound sorrow to the passing away of Shri Vilasrao Dagadojirao , Minister without portfolio and a sitting Member of this House, on the 14th of August, 2012 at the age of 67 years. Born in Babhalgaon, in District of , in May 1945, Shri Deshmukh had his education at Garware College, University and ILS Law College, Pune. An agriculturist, Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh served as Sarpanch of Babhalgaon Village Panchayat, and as Deputy Chairman of Latur Taluka Panchayat Samiti between 1974 and 1979. He also served as Director of the Latur Agriculture Marketing Committee in 1976, the Centre Cooperative Bank and the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank in 1979. He played an instrumental role for the empowerment of the Zila Panchayats and strengthening of the Panchayati Raj system. Shri Deshmukh started his legislative career as a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1980. He was a Member of that Assembly from 1980 to 1995, and again from 1999 to 2009. He served as Minister of State in the Government of Maharashtra holding portfolios of the Department of Rural Development, Home, General Administration, Agriculture, Transport, ______∗This Synopsis is not an authoritative record of the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha.

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Education, Technical Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, and Information and Publicity between 1982 and 1985. He also served as Minister of Rural Development, Agriculture, Cooperation, Dairy Development and Fisheries, Public Works, Industries, Education and Technical Education, Sports and Youth Welfare, Transport and Parliamentary Affairs in the Government of Maharashtra between 1986 and 1995. He served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra for two terms from October, 1999 to January, 2003 and again from November, 2004 to December, 2008. As Chief Minister, he initiated a number of programmes to revolutionise urban infrastructure of City, modernising education, agriculture and rural infrastructure, as well as attracting global investors to invest in Indian industry. Shri Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh represented the State of Maharashtra in this House for two terms, from August, 2009 to April, 2012 and again from April, 2012 till his sad demise. He served as Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises from May, 2009 to January, 2011; as Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj from January, 2011 to July, 2011; and as Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises from July, 2011 to the 10th of August, 2012; and Minister without portfolio from the 11th of August, 2012 till his sad demise. In the passing away of Shri Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh, the country has lost an able administrator and a distinguished parliamentarian. We deeply mourn the passing away of Shri Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh. (One minute's silence was observed as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed.)

V. K. AGNIHOTRI, Secretary-General. [email protected]

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