Page 14 - Maharashtra Government

Govt floats tender for new Shivaji statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg

In the wake of collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, the Maharashtra government has issued a tender for the construction of a new 60-foot-tall statue there, nearly twice the size of the previous one, officials said on Wednesday. The statue will be built at a cost of Rs 20 crore and the government has set a six-month timeframe for the completion of the work, they said. A 35-foot-tall statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg district on December 4 (Navy Day) last year, collapsed on August 26 amid strong winds. The statue's sculptor, Jaydeep Apte, was later arrested. The government has faced flak as the opposition parties alleged the decision to install the statue in Sindhudurg was taken haphazardly, which resulted in poor quality of work. Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) had flagged concerns over rust gathering on Shivaji Maharaj's statue and suggested permanent

To make Maharashtra $1.5 trn economy, Thane must play crucial role: CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said focus must be on eight strategic areas to make the state a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2047 and asserted Thane has to play an important role to achieve this target. Addressing the MMR Thane Development Conference 2024, Shinde said his government was working to ensure the economy of Mumbai Metropolitan Region touches the USD 300 billion mark by 2030. These eight strategic areas have been suggested by the NITI Aayog and a mechanism involving monthly reviews, dedicated war rooms etc is in place to achieve them, he added. The areas include AI and robotics, global capacity centres and data centres etc. The CM said projects like the Atal Setu, the coastal road and eastern freeway will enhance regional connectivity and boost the economy of the region, particularly Thane. He said various tests and trials at the Navi Mumbai international airport will commence by the end of September, while plans are foot to bring about air ...

Maharashtra govt failed to fulfil promises made for development: Danve

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra legislative council Ambadas Danve on Monday claimed that the state government has failed to fulfil the promises it had made for the development of Marathwada on the Hyderabad Liberation Day last year. Addressing the media here, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader alleged that the state government had not released even 5 per cent of the funds it had announced for the region earlier. Hyderabad Liberation Day is observed on September 17 to mark the annexation of Hyderabad state, which was under the rule of Nizam, into the Union of India following military action initiated by the then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. "Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will come and make new announcements here on September 17. Last year, the state government announced Rs 37,016 crore for Marathwada. It announced Rs 14,000 crore to bring water from the western rivers to prevent drought in Marathwada. The state recently allotted just Rs 60 crore to make a project report a year

Adani wins bid to supply 6,600 MW of electricity at Rs 4.08/unit tariff

Adani group has won a bid to supply 6,600 MW of bundled renewable and thermal power to Maharashtra for the long term after its quote of Rs 4.08 per unit beat the likes of JSW Energy and Torrent Power, sources said. Its bid for the bundled renewable and thermal energy supply for 25 years was almost a rupee lower than the cost at which Maharashtra currently procures electricity and will help meet future electricity requirements of the state, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. Supplies are to start in 48 months from the date of award of the letter of intent. As per the bid conditions, Adani Power will supply solar power at a fixed cost of Rs 2.70 per unit throughout the entire supply period, while that from coal will be indexed to coal prices. Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL), in March, floated a unique tender for sourcing 5,000 MW of electricity generated from sunlight and 1,600 MW of power generated from coal. That tender was floated ju

Cong leader Balasaheb Thorat accuses CM Shinde of spreading 'fake news'

Congress Legislature Party leader in Maharashtra Balasaheb Thorat on Sunday accused Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis of creating religious discord by spreading "fake news". Thorat's comments came a day after CM Shinde said the Congress government in Karnataka was trying to shut down Ganesh festival celebrations. Shinde on Saturday also said the opposition targeted his government over the collapse of a statue of Shivaji Maharaj (in Sindhudurg), but remains silent about police in Congress-ruled Karnataka putting a Ganesh idol in a police van. Videos purportedly showing Karnataka police taking away a Ganesh idol from protestors and putting it in a police van have gone viral on social media. "The only thing that the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister are doing full time is creating a fake narrative by constantly spreading fake news," Thorat claimed in a post on X and asked whether they were running "fake news factories". Earlier, they protested agains

Mahayuti has a face that is corrupt...Need a trustworthy person: Thackeray

Without a face, INDIA's Lok Sabha tally was 237; the BJP's tally came down to 240. Had there been a face, we could have crossed that, said Aaditya Thackeray

Companies to roll out Rs 1.2 trillion EV, chip projects in Maharashtra

These investments span across segments like EVs, hybrids and semiconductors

MSRTC employees end strike before Ganesh festival; govt agrees to pay hike

The hike will come into effect retrospectively from April 2020, said a release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO)

Attack on train passenger over beef suspicion: GRP to re-arrest accused

With a court cancelling the bail granted to three men arrested for allegedly assaulting an elderly man in an express train on the suspicion of carrying beef in Maharashtra's Nashik, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has launched an operation to trace the trio to re-arrest them in the case, officials said. The court cancelled their bail on Monday after the police added the charges of dacoity and hurting religious feelings against them. The 72-year-old victim, Ashraf Ali Sayyed Hussain, from Jalgaon district in north Maharashtra, was assaulted by a group on board the Dhule-Mumbai CSMT Express on August 28 on the suspicion of carrying beef. A video of the incident went viral on social media and the police arrested three men from Dhule - Akash Awhad (30), Nitesh Ahire (30) and Jayesh Mohite (21) - on August 31. They were presented in a court the next day, which granted bail to them. As the GRP could not keep them in its custody after they were granted bail, the accused were allowed t

Won't sit quietly till Maha govt is changed in coming months: Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the opposition won't sit quietly till the Mahayuti dispensation in Maharashtra is dislodged from power in the next two months and a new government is formed on the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Addressing party workers at Ghatkopar in Mumbai, Pawar slammed the state government over the collapse of the statue of the legendary warrior king in Sindhudurg district on August 26. He said those in power in the state have no "faith" in Shivaji Maharaj. I assure you (party workers) that if you show your unity, then we will not sit quietly till the government in Maharashtra is changed in the next two months and a new government is formed on the ideals of Shivaji Maharaj that will safeguard the interests of people, Pawar said. The collapse of the Shivaji statue at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil has triggered a firestorm in the state, with the opposition targeting the BJP-led Mahayuti for "corruption" and "insult" to the icon. Earlier in the day,

Don't do politics in Shivaji Maharaj's name: Jarange to Mahayuti govt, Oppn

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday told the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government and the opposition not to do politics in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and demanded strict punishment against those involved in insulting state and national icons. Jarange visited the Rajkot Fort in Malvan, where a 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha warrior king, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, collapsed on August 26. The incident caused outrage across the state, with the prime minister apologising for the event. Talking to reporters here, Jarange said, "There should be no politics over it, both the opposition and the government. The government should conduct a detailed probe into the matter. The contractors should not be spared." He said both the opposition and the Mahayuti government were doing politics in the name of Shivaji. "There should be a law. Those who insult icons should rot in jail and not come out in a few days," the activist said, adding that the

'Chhatrapati Shivaji our deity': PM Modi apologises for statue collapse

The statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, located at the Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, came crashing down on Monday

Justify waiver of cover dues from organisers of IPL matches from 2011: HC

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra government to justify its decision to reduce and waive the arrears from the organisers of IPL matches for police deployment, noting that it did not find any rationale behind the move. A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar said the government on the one hand kept increasing the water tax charges on slum dwellers but on the other hand, was waiving police cover fees from cash-rich organisers of cricket matches. What is this? What are you (government) doing? This is a fee not tax. You will keep on increasing the water tax from slum dwellers and then you waive off the fee for such cricket matches. The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is the richest cricket association globally," the court said. The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Anil Galgali challenging the state's decision to reduce the rate for police protection provided to the Indian Premier

Conceptualised, steered project of installing Shivaji statue, says Navy

Navy said in a statement that it remains committed to assisting in all measures to repair, restore and reinstate the statue

Maharashtra CM Shinde reviews pending repair work on Mumbai-Goa highway

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday visited sites in Raigad district to review the pending work on the Mumbai-Goa Highway ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The visit has come a week after Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam called BJP leader and Maharashtra PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan a useless minister over the poor state of the highway. Talking to reporters, Shinde said, "We have used four types of advanced technology to repair potholes and damaged stretches of the highway. This will minimise inconvenience for people travelling to their villages in the coastal districts for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival." Officials of the NHAI, MSRDC, and PWD, among others, have conducted an in-depth study of the issues on this highway and devised effective solutions, he said. Shinde said, "Union Minister for Highways Gadkari took a keen interest in the highway and gave loans to contractors, but some of them ignored the work, and due to their lethargy, we have to face this precari

Shivaji Maharaj's 35-foot statue collapses in Sindhudurg, Navy responds

A statue of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a fort in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, collapsed on Monday, an official said. Following the incident, the opposition parties have slammed the state government, alleging it had paid little attention to the quality of work. A 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed around 1 pm at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, the official said. Experts will ascertain the exact cause of the collapse, but the district has witnessed heavy rains and gusty winds in the last two to three days, he said. Senior officials of the police and district administration reached the site to take stock of the situation, and the damage is being examined, he said. PM Modi unveiled the statue on December 4 last year on the occasion of Navy Day. He also participated in the celebrations at the fort. NCP (SP) state president and former minister Jayant Patil said, "The state government is responsible for the ...

Maha govt to allow women to lodge harassment complaints online: Ajit Pawar

The Maharashtra cabinet discussed PM Modi's instruction about online registration of women harassment cases and decided to adopt a different approach to prevent such incidents, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Monday. During a programme organised for "Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana" in Jalgaon on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed crimes against women an unpardonable sin and said the safety of women should be a priority. His strong remarks came against the backdrop of protests against the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital and the sexual abuse of two four-year-old school girls in Badlapur near Mumbai. Modi pointed out that an entire chapter is dedicated to crimes against women and children in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and if a woman cannot reach the police station, she can file an e-FIR, and no one can make any changes at the police station level. Talking to reporters here, Pawar said, "PM Modi has instructed about fili

Govt directs insurance firm to pay Rs 225 cr to Maha farmers in a week

The Central government on Saturday directed an insurance company to pay pending claims of up to Rs 225 crore to about 2 lakh farmers in Maharashtra's Parbhani district within a week. The order follows Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's interaction with farmers in Nanded on August 21, where issues of pending soyabean crop insurance claims were raised. On August 22, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare held a meeting of the National Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The committee rejected the insurance company's objections to crop-cutting experiments and ordered the settlement of pending claims, an official statement said. The name of the insurance company was not disclosed in the statement. The Central TAC on Saturday issued a formal order to the insurance company to pay the dues within seven days. This decision will benefit approximately 2 lakh farmers in Parbhani district, with payouts ranging between Rs 200 to 225 crore. Chouhan had instructed ...

Badlapur incident hit Maharashtra's image in country, says Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said the Badlapur incident involving the alleged sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls at a school has hit the image of Maharashtra in the country. He accused the state government of forgetting that the responsibility for the safety of women lies with it. Pawar, who took part in a silent protest in Pune, said the government is insensitive if it thinks the opposition is playing politics over the Badlapur incident. The Badlapur incident has hit the image of Maharashtra in the country, said the chief of NCP (SP), which is a constituent of the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), also comprising Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). Pawar said such an incident has taken place in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji who used to chop off the hands of culprits involved in crimes against women. The alleged sexual assault on two 4-year-old girls by a male attendant at a school in Badlapur of Thane district had led to a massive protest in

Nepal bus accident: 48 pilgrims, 2 bodies arrive through land route

27 Indians, all from Maharashtra, who were visiting Nepal, were killed and 16 others injured after the bus they were travelling in veered off the highway and fell into Marsyangdi River