Aamir Khan to be the brand ambassador for ‘drought-free Maharahtra’

Actor Aamir Khan, who was recently replaced as the face of the ‘Incredible India, campaign following his controversial statement about ‘growing intolerance and despondency in the country and how his wife Kiran even thought of moving out of India’, is likely to be the ambassador for a key project of the Maharashtra government.

If sources close to the actor are to be believed then the ‘Dangal’ star will most likely be the ambassador of ‘drought-free Maharashtra’ and will promote a flagship irrigation scheme in villages. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to make an announcement today at an event in Mumbai where the actor along with the CM would address the press.

The scheme, ‘Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyaan’ that Aamir is likely to support and get associated with aims at making 25,000 villages in the state drought-free in five years. State government officials say with over 3200 farmer deaths in the past year, it is important to promote the project in a big way.

Maharashtra’s BJP-led government has opted for the actor as a spokesperson at a time when the Centre preferred to not continue with him as the face of its ‘Incredible India’ campaign to market the country to tourists abroad.

Amid reports that the actor was being punished for those comments, Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said that he featured in the Incredible India campaign through an ad agency, McCann Erickson, whose contract with the government had ended. The government has now recruited megastar Amitabh Bachchan as its spokesperson.

Reacting to the change, Aamir Khan said at the time: “It is the prerogative of the government to decide whether they need a brand ambassador for any campaign, and if so, who that ambassador should be. I respect the decision of the government to discontinue with my services.”

Aamir Khan was also by the Chief Minister’s side during a cultural show on Sunday at the state’s ‘Make In India’ event, which had to be cancelled when a massive fire broke out.

A press conference is scheduled to be held today to make the official announcement.