MUMBAI, July 22 -- Amid speculation over merger talks between the rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a move that could reshape the party's leadership equations, the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP will hold a series of programmes to mark the birth anniversary of her husband, former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, on July 22, the first after his death in a plane crash on January 28. The state government will observe July 22 as a state-level commemorative day, while the NCP will organise 'Janseva Saptaha' (Public Service Week) from July 22 to 26. The week-long programme will feature health camps, cleanliness drives, tree plantation campaigns and other public service initiatives across Maharashtra. The outreach is also being viewed as an effort by Pawar to reinforce her leadership within the party and stake claim to her husband's political legacy at a time of churn over the future of the two NCP factions. The commemorative programme will begin on Wednesday morning with party leaders paying tribute to late Ajit Pawar at the NCP's state office. Following the NCP's demand, the Maharashtra government on July 15 decided to officially observe Ajit Pawar's birth anniversary on July 22. Sunetra Pawar will observe the occasion in Baramati and is expected to visit the Vidya Pratishthan campus, where a memorial is being built for the late leader. On July 23, Pawar will unveil a 10-foot-high bronze statue of Ajit Pawar at Natraj Natya Kala Mandir in Baramati. The entire Pawar family, including Ajit's sons Parth and Jay, is expected to attend the ceremony. As part of Janseva Saptaha, the party will organise tree plantation and environmental conservation drives across the state, themed Harit Maharashtra, Vruksha Majhi Savali, Vruksha Majhi Mauli, Dadanchi Drushti and Harit Srushti. Veteran actor Sayaji Shinde will lead the statewide Devgiri to Devarai campaign, with sitting and former MPs and MLAs encouraged to establish one conservation site in their respective constituencies. The week-long programme will also include blood donation camps, free health check-ups, diagnostic camps, cancer screening and counselling, and osteoporosis detection camps for women and senior citizens. Cleanliness drives will be conducted at forts, memorials and other public places across the state. The party will also organise a state-level convention to promote Ajit Pawar's vision of social inclusion, focusing on women's self-help groups, financial empowerment, education and self-employment. The NCP women's wing will present the 'Ajitdada Women's Empowerment Award' and felicitate women farmers. AI-based workshops, agricultural exhibitions, farmer counselling camps, and sessions on cropping patterns, market prices, horticulture and floriculture will also be held. Progressive farmers will be honoured with the 'Ajitdada Krishi Samman Award'. Youth camps are planned in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nashik, while minority service camps will help eligible beneficiaries access government welfare schemes....