[2] Guardian minister refers to a designated MLA (member of the legislative assembly) in a state government in India who is assigned responsibility for overseeing the development of a particular district.
The guardian minister is also the ex-officio chairperson of the District Planning Committee (DPC), which is responsible for addressing issues of common interest between panchayats (local government bodies) and municipalities, such as infrastructure development, resource sharing and environmental protection.
Guardian ministers are also responsible for coordinating solutions to various issues, including garbage disposal and facilitating land acquisition for large-scale projects such as highways, airports, industrial zones, waste processing plants, and water supply and sewage treatment.
The Guardian Minister also plays a crucial role in ensuring the effective implementation of funds sanctioned by the central and state governments for various Schemes.
The guardian minister reviews implementation, makes quick decisions on public applications, visits the district regularly and inspects circle offices.
For example, between 2004 and 2014, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who represented the Baramati assembly and served as the guardian minister for Pune.