Page 29 - Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis hails Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde's Dussehra rally

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hailed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Dussehra rally and exuded confidence for the upcoming Assembly elections

Welcome ban on PFI; strict action against supporters: Maha Dy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday aligned with the Centre's ban on PFI and said that action will be taken against PFI supporters

Maharashtra govt to install 200,000 solar agriculture pumps: Dy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the government has fixed the target of installing two lakh solar agricultural pumps in the state. Fadnavis, who also holds the charge of Energy Department, held a review meeting at its headquarters in Mumbai. Speaking to reporters later, he said, "The state government has set the target of installing two lakh agri solar pumps in the coming months. While one lakh will be set up by the Maharashtra Energy Development Authority (MEDA), the remaining ones will come from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL)." The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) will cover necessary parts of this programme of installing the solar agri pumps, he said, without giving details of how many pumps have been installed so far in the state. "The state government is also taking steps towards agri feeders to be converted on solar energy to benefit farmers. I have asked the officials

Maharashtra to probe vehicles purchase at inflated rates in Uddhav regime

The Maharashtra government will conduct an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the purchase of vehicles by the relief and rehabilitation department when the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Agahdi (MVA) was in power, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday. He made the announcement after a regional news channel (ABP Majha) claimed to have accessed documents that, it said, showed the relief and rehabilitation department purchased vehicles allegedly at inflated prices during the coronavirus pandemic. The channel, citing the documents, claimed one of the vehicles - a mini bus - was purchased for Rs three crore when its market price was Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh. The state government will conduct an inquiry into the allegations of buying vehicles at inflated prices. The details will come out in due course of time, Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, told reporters when asked about the suspected scam. The relief and rehabilitation department, then-headed by Congress ...

Maharashtra to recruit 20,000 personnel in police force: Deputy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said 20,000 personnel will be recruited in the state's police force, with advertisements for the first round of 8,000 posts already issued. The process for the remaining 12,000 posts will be out soon, he told reporters here. The state government is keen on strengthening and developing a robust infrastructure for cyber security as per changing times and technology. Fadnavis also pointed out his government was taking special efforts for 1,641 prisoners in various prisons who have received bail but have not been released because they do not have money to pay the bond. "There are some technical issues as well as they do not have money to pay for their bail bond. We have intimated some non-governmental organisations in this field to come forward and help these prisoners. Prisons are already crowded," he said.

Navi Mumbai international airport will be operational in 2024: Fadnavis

The under-construction Navi Mumbai international airport will become operational in 2024, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here on Sunday. He was addressing the Maratha Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA). Fadnavis also said that the "industrial culture" of Maharashtra will be back on track soon. "Every stakeholder has to unite and work hard to make Maharashtra number one again," he added. Fadnavis highlighted important projects like Pune Metro, EV transportation etc and said the ring road will prove to be the growth engine for the Pune region. He said the government has acknowledged the urgent need for the Purandar airport in the Pune district and that the government is taking efforts for the same. He also said the government is planning a logistics hub at Purandar along with the airport. There is a need to connect the Navi Mumbai and Purandar airports. "Maharashtra's economy should reach USD one trillion if India has to achieve the U

CM Shinde and I will play like a fast-paced T20 match: Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and he would play the remaining two and a half years of their term like a fast-paced T20 match. He was speaking at a public rally in Mumbai. CM Shinde and I are now in power. We have two and a half years in our hands and we will play like a T-20 cricket match. There is no time to play a Test match now," Fadnavis said. Shinde became chief minister in June this year after breaking up the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and toppling the Sena-NCP-Congress coalition government. Fadnavis, meanwhile, also said that attempts were being made by some people to spread fear that Mumbai will be separated from Maharashtra. "I am making it clear that Mumbai will remain an integral part of Maharashtra and all Marathi festivals will be celebrated without any restrictions, the BJP leader said.

Niti Aayog-like body to be set up in Maharashtra, says Deputy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday announced that an institution on the lines of Niti Aayog would be set up in the state for comprehensive data analysis and to make studied decisions on various sectors. Speaking to reporters here, Fadnavis said, "A delegation led by Chief Minster Eknath Shinde met the chief executive officer and other officials of the Niti Aayog today. It was proposed that an institute of transformation on the lines of Niti Aayog would be set up to make studied decisions on various sectors. CM Shinde has given an in-principle nod to this suggestion." The topics discussed during the meeting between the chief minister and the NITI Aayog officials ranged from monetisation of assets, blockchain in agriculture, transportation taking to alternative fuel or EV policy, non-conventional energy, drone in healthcare and agriculture, among others, he said. The NITI Aayog has also carried an extensive study on similar issues and developed a tool, where

'Gujarat not Pakistan': Fadnavis on Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor project

Amid mounting criticism over Gujarat bagging a multi-billion Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor project, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the neighbouring state was not a part of Pakistan and alleged a "10 per cent commission" had to be paid for availing any subsidy during the previous Maha Vikas Agahdi (MVA) government. Without naming the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Fadnavis targeted the party for opposing big-ticket projects like a refinery in Maharashtra which had the potential of taking the state ahead of others for the next ten years, as he slammed his former ally for stalling the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train and Mumbai Metro 3 infrastructure ventures. Fadnavis said after taking over as the deputy chief minister in June-end, he personally met Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal and Maharashtra even offered a tailor-made package to the company to match up the Gujarat offer, but he was told a decision to move the semiconductor unit to Gujarat was in

Foxconn row: Who was to blame for nixing Nanar refinery, Fadnavis asks Oppn

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has accused the opposition of making false claims over the Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor plant going to Gujarat, and also questioned it over the Nanar refinery project. Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have sought to corner the state government following the announcement two days ago that the Rs 1.54 lakh crore semiconductor plant would be set up in Gujarat and not in Maharashtra as proposed earlier. "It is disappointing that negative, false and baseless claims are being spread to gain political mileage. This is only to hide their own incompetence. I want to ask opposition leaders, who sent back Rs 3.5 lakh crore refinery from Maharashtra? My advice to these leaders is to focus on becoming competent & efficient and not negative and desperate, " Fadnavis, who is visiting Moscow, tweeted. He also welcomed Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal's tweet that Maharashtra will be key to "forward integration" to the joint ...

Uddhav's style of functioning responsible for split in Shiv Sena: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has hit out at former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying that his style of functioning was responsible for the split in the Shiv Sena. He also admitted that believing senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was his "biggest" political blunder, and added that in order to take revenge for the back-stabbing, it was important that one lives long. After the 2019 Assembly election results, Fadnavis and Pawar had taken oath as the state chief minister and deputy CM, respectively, at a hush hush ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan in November that year. However, their government lasted only nearly 80 hours after Pawar quit. Speaking at the CNN News18 Town Hall event on Saturday, Fadnavis said only Uddhav Thackeray has to be blamed for the recent political turmoil in the state and it was his style of working that led to the split in the Shiv Sena. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government comprising Shi

Maratha reservation back on agenda as Sena factions woo community

With eye on elections, Uddhav faction has formed alliance with Sambhaji Brigade, while ruling coalition has also reached out to community leaders

Amit Shah chairs meeting with BJP leaders in Mumbai over BMC polls

Amit Shah held a meeting of BJP MPs, MLAs, MLCs and corporators with respect to the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections at the residence of Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai

Thoroughly investigate Cyrus Mistry's fatal accident: Maha govt to police

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said he has asked the state police to conduct a detailed investigation into the accident in which former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry was killed. Fadnavis said he was shocked and deeply pained to know about the demise of Mistry (54) in the unfortunate accident near Palghar adjoining Mumbai. "Spoke to DGP and instructed for detailed investigations," tweeted Fadnavis, who is also the state home minister. "My deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues," he said. Mistry was on Sunday killed after his car hit a divider in Palghar district. He was travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai in a Mercedes car, a police official said. The accident took place on a bridge over the Surya river, Palghar district Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said.

Maharashtra focusing on solar, nuclear power generation: Dy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday informed visiting US senator Jon Ossoff that the state is increasing the use of solar power in the agriculture sector and also focusing on nuclear energy generation, officials said. Fadnavis's statement came on the backdrop of the Union government giving in-principle nod for setting up six nuclear power reactors at Jaitapur in Maharashtra with a total capacity of 9,900 MW. Ossoff, senator from Georgia, along with a delegation led by consul general Mike Hankey met Fadnavis here, said a statement by the Maharashtra government. Fadnavis also invited US firms to invest in Maharashtra in areas like energy, agriculture technology and skill development, the release added.

As Mumbai's underground Metro-3 trials start, Shinde-Fadnavis duo slam MVA

Flagging off the train trials for Mumbai's first underground Metro-3 line, CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM slammed the erstwhile MVA government, blaming it for the delays

Trial run of M'bai's Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro line 3 to be conducted today

The trial run of Mumbai's Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro line 3 will be conducted on Tuesday at Sariput Nagar in Aarey area, an official said. This marks an important development in the realisation of the Metro track shrouded in controversy. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis will attend the event. The Metro line 3, which will be a 33.5 km underground route, will connect Colaba in south Mumbai with the western suburbs. The construction of the Metro car shed at Aarey, a forested land adjoining the Sanjay Gandhi National Park was one of the first decisions reversed by the Shinde-Fadnavis government. Last month, former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had fervently appealed to the new government "not to stab Mumbai in its heart" by going ahead with the construction of the car shed at Aarey.

Congress a sinking ship, Azad raised valid issues during exit: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said Ghulam Nabi Azad raised valid points while exiting the Congress which is a "sinking ship". Azad has resigned from all positions in the Congress, including its primary membership, by describing former Congress president Rahul Gandhi as "immature" and "childish" and accusing the leadership of "foisting a non-serious individual" at the helm of the party. Speaking to reporters at the Nagpur airport, Fadnavis said the Congress was a sinking ship and people who think the ship cannot be salvaged were taking different decisions. "I think some questions raised by Azad were valid. However, it is their internal matter and I will not comment on it," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said. Azad, 73, who has been associated with the Congress for nearly five decades, also attacked party chief Sonia Gandhi for applying the "remote control model that demolished the institutional integrity of the UPA government" to the

Maharashtra to amend NDPS Act to make it more stringent, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra will amend the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and make it more stringent by making abetment a serious offence, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday. He was speaking in the Legislative Council. Saying that the menace of psychotropic drugs is spreading like cancer, Fadnavis, who is also the home minister, said the government plans to conduct awareness programmes against drugs in a big way. Under the NDPS Act one needs to possess commercial quantities of drugs or consume drugs for it to be considered a crime, he said. We have decided to bring state amendments to the NDPS Act and it will not be restricted to consumption and possession alone. Abetment of crime will also be considered a serious offence. This will ensure that loophole in the NDPS Act is not misused, Fadnavis said.

Aarey car shed work started with Uddhav's nod, says Maha Deputy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday claimed that 25 per cent of work of the Mumbai Metro car shed in Aarey Colony was completed after Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had given his approval. Speaking in the Legislative Council, Fadnavis also averred that no more trees will be cut for the car shed project, and said he was ready to apologise for the sake of Mumbai's people if someone felt it was a crime to cut trees at night. During Fadnavis's tenure as chief minister, his government's action of cutting trees in the leafy Aarey Colony here at night after the court's nod for the car shed had come in for criticism. Thackeray, after he became chief minister in 2019, shifted the Metro car shed site to Kanjur as environmental groups were opposed to tree felling for the project in Aarey area. In-principle approval for the project was given by the Congress-NCP government led by Prithviraj Chavan, Fadnavis said. When Fadnavis became chief minister, he met ...