Page 20 - Maharashtra Government

Water supply to breweries might be curtailed in Marathwada region

With parts of Marathwada region in Maharashtra facing water shortage due to inadequate rainfall, water supply to breweries in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district might be curtailed if necessary, an official said. The Jayakwadi dam's Nath Sagar reservoir supplies water to residential and industrial areas of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and neighbouring Jalna district. Twelve companies are involved in making liquor and beer in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. In the 2023-24 financial year, these companies manufactured 761.53 lakh bulk litres of liquor and 3,778.28 bulk litres of beer, an excise official said. They generated a revenue of Rs 5,455.70 crore for the state government, which was Rs 347.14 crore more than the previous year (2022-2023) year, the official said. Amid scarcity, 443 water tankers have been operating in the district as of April 4. As of now, 269 villages and 48 hamlets are dependent on tanker water supply, a revenue official said. Asked about the water availability and it

LS polls: PM Modi to hold rally in Nagpur today to support NDA candidate

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena

CM Shinde thanks Raj Thackeray for his support to ruling 'Mahayuti' in Maha

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday thanked MNS president Raj Thackeray for extending unconditional support to the ruling 'Mahayuti' alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP and backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taking a jibe at his rival and former CM Uddhav Thackeray without mentioning his name, Shinde said those counting 'rokad' (money) while sitting at home during COVID-19 have no right to criticise Modi. Shinde, speaking with the media at the Nagpur airport, thanked Raj Thackeray for supporting the ruling 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance). Addressing his party's annual rally in Mumbai on Gudi Padwa (traditional Maharashtra New Year that symbolises fresh beginnings, auspiciousness), Raj Thackeray announced unconditional support to the 'Mahayuti' alliance and backed PM Modi. Asked whether Mahayuti will give Lok Sabha seats to the MNS to contest, Shinde said the Raj Thackeray-led outfit has not put any conditions for supporting the three-party alliance. The MNS ...

On Khadse's plan of returning to BJP, Mahajan calls him 'extinguished lamp'

Maharashtra BJP leader Girish Mahajan on Sunday termed his former colleague Eknath Khadse an "extinguished lamp". The comment comes amid Khadse's announcement that he would be going back to the BJP, which he had quit in 2020 before joining the undivided Nationalist Congress Party. Khadse chose to side with Sharad Pawar when the NCP split in July last year after Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government. "He is like an extinguished lamp. Even a gram panchayat is not in his hand. He used to control a bank, but the board of directors has also changed, and new board members do not listen to him. Why make his decision so important?" Mahajan told reporters. His wife and daughter have lost elections in the past, said Mahajan, who has been Khadse's arch-rival in Jalgaon district. Incidentally, Khadse, who was leader of opposition in the Assembly between 2009 and 2014, was a contender for the post of chief minister when the BJP won 120-odd seats in the 2014 Assembly ...

Sitars, tanpuras made in Maharashtra's Miraj town get awarded with GI tags

The sitars and tanpuras of Miraj, a small town in Maharashtra's Sangli district known for its craftsmanship in making musical instruments, have been awarded the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) tags. These instruments made in Miraj are much in demand among some of the prominent artistes, including those renowned in the field of classical music as well as film industry, the makers claim. The GI tag denotes the product comes from a particular geographical area, and often enhances its commercial value. The tradition of making sitars and tanpuras in Miraj goes back more than 300 years, with over seven generations of craftsmen having worked towards making these string instruments, the makers say. On March 30, the government of India's intellectual property office issued GI tag to the Miraj Musical Instruments Cluster for its sitars and to the Soultune Musical Instrument Producer firm for tanpuras. The Miraj Musical Instruments Cluster functions as the apex body for both the sitar a

Election 2024: Eknath Shinde's son Shrikant to contest from Kalyan seat

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis says that the BJP will firmly back Shrikant Shinde and will get him elected with more margin than last election

BJP made bow-and-arrow symbol disappear from Maharashtra: Sena (UBT)

The Shiv Sena (UBT) has accused the BJP of making the bow-and-arrow symbol disappear from many parts of Maharashtra after the saffron party started claiming the seats that were earlier contested by the undivided Shiv Sena. In an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Friday, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) said the undivided Shiv Sena used to contest in 23 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra on its bow-and-arrow symbol. Sena (UBT), which is a part of the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi, also claimed that the BJP high command was behind the move not to repeat many sitting Shiv Sena MPs. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has not renominated Bhavana Gawli, Krupal Tumane and Hemant Patil, sitting MPs from Yavatmal-Washim, Ramtek and Hingoli. But the Shinde group (Shiv Sena) is not even getting half of the seats now (in the seat-sharing agreement) and the BJP has made the bow-and-arrow symbol disappear in four-five seats, the editorial said. Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP

Maha speaker Narwekar urges state govt to rename Alibaug as 'Maynaknagri'

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has urged the state government to rename Alibaug as Maynaknagri' in memory of Maynak Bhandari, who played a crucial role in the naval prowess of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The coastal town of Alibaug near Mumbai is a tourist attraction and a municipal council in the state's Raigad district. Narwekar made the demand after a delegation of the All India Bhandari Federation recently met him with a request for the name change. Narwekar on Thursday wrote to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, stressing that during the reign of Maratha warrior king Shivaji, coastal security and coastal war campaigns were crucial to prevent foreign invasions. Shivaji Maharaj laid the foundation of a strong naval force, which Maynak Bhandari led from Konkan. The British had to retreat from the fort at Khanderi-Underi harbour in Alibaug after a bitter struggle and due to the bravery of Maynak Bhandari, he wrote. Narwekar also said that a statue of Bhandari should be .

People fed up with graft, inflation; want change in regime: Supriya Sule

People want a change in the country as they are fed up with corruption, unemployment and inflation, claimed NCP (SP) leader and MP Supriya Sule on Thursday. Sule, who has been fielded by her party from Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra's Pune district, accused the present government of being against women and farmers. The three-term parliamentarian and daughter of NCP founder Sharad Pawar is pitted against her sister-in-law and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar. Baramati will go to polls in the third phase on May 7 and votes will be counted on June 4. People want a change in the country as they are fed up with corruption, unemployment and inflation. As this government is against women and farmers, they want a change in the regime, Sule said on the sidelines of a protest organised by her party's city unit against the hike in power rates. Asked about speculations that NCP leader Eknath Khadse might join the BJP, Sule said she could not sa

CM Shinde's Shiv Sena faces opposition from party leaders over nominations

With the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde likely to replace its candidate in Hingoli Lok Sabha seat, some party leaders claim they are facing opposition from alliance partners over nominations in a couple of seats. The Shiv Sena on March 28 announced Hingoli's sitting MP Hemant Patil as its candidate from the seat. However, there has been opposition to his candidature from within the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance), which also comprises the BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, a Shiv Sena leader claimed. Polling in Hingoli will be held in the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 26. With Thursday being the last day of filing nominations for the second phase, Patil is likely to be replaced with Shiv Sena functionary Baburao Kadam Kohalikar. Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Kadam said, "CM Shinde called me to Mumbai four days back and asked me to start preparations for the Lok Sabha elections. It was the first time when I got the hint that Hemant Patil was going to

LS polls: Jalgaon MP Unmesh Patil joins Sena (UBT) after BJP denied ticket

Unmesh Patil, the BJP MP from Jalgaon in north Maharashtra who failed to get the saffron party ticket for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, joined the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday. Patil joined the Sena (UBT) at 'Matoshree', the residence of party head and former state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in suburban Mumbai, along with his followers. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said Patil joining the party will bolster its prospects in Jalgaon and north Maharashtra and make its path to victory easier. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has replaced Patil with Smita Wagh in the Jalgaon parliamentary constituency. Patil met Raut here on Tuesday, sparking speculation about his future political move. The BJP is fighting the Lok Sabha polls, to be held in five phases in Maharashtra from April 19 to May 20, as part of the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance) with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar as its two other

Veteran Cong leader Shivraj Patil's daughter-in-law joins BJP in Maha

Chakurkar had met Fadnavis at his official residence 'Sagar' in south Mumbai on Friday

Maha ATS nabs five Bangladeshi nationals for illegal stay in country

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested five Bangladeshi nationals from Navi Mumbai for staying in the country without valid documents, officials said on Saturday. The operation was conducted at two locations in Ghansoli by the Vikhroli unit (Mumbai) of the ATS on Friday, they said. "Acting on a tip-off, the ATS led the operation and arrested five Bangladeshis, who were found living in India without valid documents. They were nabbed from Janai Compound and near Shivaji Talao, both in Ghansoli," a police official said. The accused, Aahat Jamal Sheikh (22), Rebul Samad Sheikh (40), Ronney Soriful Khan (25), Julu Billal Sharif (28) and Mohammad Munir Mohammad Siraj Mulla (49), hail from two districts in Bangladesh and were employed as masons in Navi Mumbai, he said. They were arrested under provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950, following a complaint lodged by a police sub-inspector attached to the ATS. The Rabale polic

Toll rates on Mumbai's Bandra-Worli sea link to go up by 18% from Apr 1

The toll charges on Mumbai's iconic Rajiv Gandhi Bandra Worli Sea Link will increase by about 18 per cent from April 1, officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation said on Friday. An MSRDC spokesperson told PTI that the new toll rates for one-way journeys for cars and jeeps will be Rs 100 from the beginning of next month, while minibuses, tempos and other similar vehicles will have to pay Rs 160 for it. Two-axle trucks will be charged Rs 210 for a one-way trip on the cable-stayed bridge on the Arabian Sea. Motorists using the eight-lane overpass now pay Rs 85 for cars and jeeps, Rs 130 for minibuses, tempos and light commercial vehicles, and Rs 175 for two-axle trucks and buses. These rates have been in force since April 1, 2021. The new toll rates on the sea link, which opened for traffic in 2009, will be applicable between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2027, he said. Every day, scores of motorists use the sea link, connecting Worli in the Island City and Ban

Cracks in MVA: Congress, Uddhav Sena spar over candidates in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Congress on Wednesday objected to the Shiv Sena (UBT) announcing its candidates for the Bhiwandi, Mumbai South Central and Sangli Lok Sabha seats, saying MVA partners must stick to "coalition dharma". Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat urged Sena (UBT) to reconsider its decision. However, his party colleague Sanjay Nirupam adopted a more belligerent stand, attacking their leadership for letting the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit grab most of the seats in Mumbai. Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents Congress, Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) have been holding seat-sharing discussions for the 48 constituencies in Maharashtra, where the Lok Sabha polls will be held in five phases starting April 19. Amid the talks, Sena (UBT) earlier in the day released its first list of 17 candidates for the upcoming elections and said it will contest a total of 22 seats in the state. Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat said the announcement was not

INDIA bloc rally at Shivaji Park is black day for Shiv Sena: Maha CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the INDIA bloc rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, a venue from where Balasaheb Thackeray often addressed the country, was a black day for the Shiv Sena. Shivaji Park has traditionally been the venue for rallies and gatherings of the Shiv Sena. Rahul Gandhi is ending his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra with a rally at Shivaji Park and it will be a show of strength for the INDIA bloc, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and SP chief Akhilesh taking part in it. On his arrival at the venue, Gandhi paid floral tributes to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and visited the memorial of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackray and paid his respects. The last rally of the Congress at the venue was addressed by Sonia Gandhi in 2003. Speaking to reporters, Shinde said, "It is a black day for the Shiv Sena, as Shivaji Park is the venue from where Balasaheb addressed the country and today you (Udddhav) are sharing the sta

Maha CM Eknath Shinde inaugurates country's first LNG-powered bus

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday inaugurated India's first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered bus, which will be operated by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, an official said. A release from the state-run transport corporation said 5000 of its diesel vehicles will be converted to LNG alternative fuel vehicles in phases, adding that 34 per cent of its total expenditure is for diesel for its fleet of 16,000 buses. "Due to conversion of buses from diesel to LNG, pollution will reduce by 10 per cent and fuel cost will go down significantly. MSRTC has signed an MoU with M/s Kings Gas for the conversion of buses to LNG. It includes usage and supply of fuel," the release said. MSRTC, which ferries around 60 lakh passengers everyday, will set up LNG distribution facilities at 90 depots across the state, the release added.

L&T Technology Services bags $100 mn deal for Maharashtra cybersecurity

Programme will set up 'cybersecurity and cybercrime prevention centre' for public safety

LTTS bags Rs 800 cr project from Maha govt to set up cybersecurity hub

L&T Technology Services on Friday said it has secured a USD 100 million (around Rs 800 crore) project from the Maharashtra government to establish a cybersecurity and digital threat analytics centre. The engineering services arm of infra major L&T has teamed up with KPMG Assurance and Consulting Services LLP as a forensics partner to provide advanced cyber security solutions for the state, enhancing public safety against cyber threats, according to a statement. The company said the contract is a first-of-its-kind programme in India, and a part of its initiative to develop digitally interconnected smart and safe cities through cyber security and digital forensic solutions consolidated under one umbrella. It said the project entails designing a sophisticated cybersecurity system and establishing a cyber security and cybercrime prevention centre to address cybercrime incidents and investigations by leveraging AI (Artificial Intelligence) and digital forensic tools. "It's an ...

Since Sharad Pawar's objection, we use Yashwantrao Chavan's name: Ajit

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that although following a split his party initially used the name and photos of his uncle Sharad Pawar, after the latter's objection, it started using state's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan's name and pictures. His made the statement after the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday sought a response of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar on a plea filed by the Sharad Pawar faction, alleging misuse of his name and pictures for political gains. The apex court directed the Ajit Pawar-led party to give a categorical and unconditional undertaking that the name, pictures of Sharad Pawar will not be used. Talking to reporters in his hometown Baramati in Pune district, Ajit Pawar said after he aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, his party started using the name and images of Sharad Pawar. "But after he (Sharad Pawar) objected to the use of his .