Page 21 - Maharashtra Government

Maha govt new owner of iconic Air India building, pays Rs 1,601 cr

The Maharashtra government has become the owner of iconic Air India building with the Union government approving transfer of the asset on Thursday. The Maharashtra government bought the Air India building at Nariman Point in Mumbai for Rs 1,601 crore. "GoI has approved transfer of Air India building, Mumbai of AI Assets Holding Company Ltd (AIAHL) to Government of Maharashtra (GoM) at consideration of Rs.1601 cr. GoM has agreed to waive dues of Rs. 298.42 cr, which would have been otherwise payable by AIAHL to GoM for this transaction," DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey said in a post on X. AIAHL, a Government of India company under administrative control of Ministry of Civil Aviation, was set up in 2019 for holding non-core assets and debt of Air India. The non-core assets of Air India, including land and building, valued at Rs 14,718 crore was transferred to AIAHL after it was set up by the government as a precursor to the sale of Air India for holding the debt and non-core ass

Leave BJP, we will ensure your victory: Uddhav Thackeray tells Gadkari

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has again asked Union minister Nitin Gadkari to leave the BJP if he is being "insulted", saying the opposition in Maharashtra would ensure his victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at a rally at Pusad in eastern Maharashtra's Yavatmal district on Tuesday, Thackeray said people like (former Congress leader) Kripashankar Singh, whom the BJP once targeted (over alleged corruption), figured in the saffron party's first list of candidates along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but Gadkari's name was missing. "I had told Gadkari this two days ago, and I am repeating it again. If you are being insulted, leave the BJP and join the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). We will ensure your victory. We will make you a minister when our government comes to power, and it will be a post with powers," he said. The opposition MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and Congress. Last week, responding to Thackeray's offer to Gadkari t

Coastal road to save $100 mn a yr in carbon emissions: Mumbai civic chief

The opening of the coastal road's southbound carriageway between Worli and Marine Drive will reduce travel time from 40 minutes to just 9 minutes and save nearly USD 100 million annually in carbon emissions through fuel savings, Mumbai civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal has said. The first phase of the coastal road project was inaugurated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday morning. The public has been allowed to use it from 8 am on Tuesday. "The travelling time will be reduced from 40 minutes to 9 minutes now, and it would save nearly $100 million annually in carbon emissions through fuel savings," Chahal said on Monday. The coastal road of 10.58 km length and 16.5 km of interchanges, being built at a cost of Rs 14,000 crore, consists of four lanes on each side along with two 12.19 metre diameter tunnels of 2.07 km length, he said. These are the largest tunnels by diameter built by tunnel boring machines in the country, Chahal said. "It is for the first time in India that a ...

SC rejects Maha govt's plea seeking stay on acquittal of G N Saibaba

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Maharashtra government application seeking a stay on a Bombay High Court order that acquitted former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba and others in the Maoist links case. A bench of justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta admitted the state government's appeal, even as it observed that the high court order was "prima facie well reasoned". The bench also rejected the oral request of Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the Maharashtra government for early listing of the appeal and said it will come in due course. "There cannot be any urgency in the order of reversal of conviction. Had it been the other way around, we would have considered," the bench told Raju. Justice Mehta said it is a hard-earned acquittal and in normal course, this court should have dismissed this appeal. On March 5, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted Saibaba, 54, and others, noting that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable

HC pulls up Maha govt for delaying land allotment for new court building

The Bombay High Court on Monday rapped the Maharashtra government for delaying land allotment for the new court building in suburban Bandra, noting that the condition of the existing structure in south Mumbai was bad and lives of judicial officers were in peril because of it. A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor expressed displeasure with the state government for dragging its feet on the issue, and said it does not want to create an "unsavoury situation". The bench was hearing a petition by lawyer Ahmed Abdi, alleging that the government had not complied with the high court's 2018 order on land allotment for the court building. Last year, the government informed the bench that approval was given to grant 30 acres of land for a new high court building in Bandra, and the process was on to make necessary changes in the state revenue records, after which possession would be handed over. Additional government pleader Abhay Patki informed the court

ED seeks details of accused from Pune police in Rs 3,600 cr drug haul

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought details of the persons arrested by Pune police in Maharashtra in the last month's mephedrone drug haul case, a senior official said. The city police in February seized more than 1,700 kilograms of mephedrone, valued at about Rs 3,600 crore in illicit markets, across Pune, Delhi and Sangli. Eleven persons, including the owner of a manufacturing unit in Kurkumbh MIDC (near Pune), where the contraband was allegedly produced, were apprehended. "We received a letter from the ED on Monday, seeking information about the accused. Given the magnitude of the drug racket, it was expected that the ED would seek details," the crime branch official said on Tuesday. The central agency asked for information about the accused, their bank accounts and locations where searches were conducted. "Based on the information, the agency will investigate money trails and suspected hawala transactions involving the accused," he said. The police have arrested 11 per

State board plans open-book exam for classes 9 to 12 students in Maha

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) plans a pilot run of open-book exams in chosen schools like their CBSE counterpart

BJP leader Harshvardhan Patil writes to Fadnavis citing threats from allies

Maharashtra BJP leader Harshvardhan Patil has written a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing some functionaries of "ally partners" in his home turf Indapur tehsil of Pune district of using foul language against him and threatening not to allow him to move freely in his former Assembly constituency. Patil is a former MLA from Indapur who was defeated by undivided NCP's candidate Datta Bharne in the 2019 state elections. Post-split in the Sharad Pawar-founded outfit, Bharne is now with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which is an ally of the BJP in the Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition in the state, 'Mahayuti'. "The Maha alliance (Mahayuti) government in Maharashtra is working properly under your guidance. However, I am being targeted in my own tehsil (Indapur) by functionaries of ally partners, who are making baseless remarks and using foul language against me in political congregations," claimed the former state minister in the letter posted on ...

Education considered pious in our culture, has now become unaffordable: HC

Education, which is considered pious in the Indian culture, has now become unaffordable, the Bombay High Court has said noting it is the state's constitutional responsibility to ensure quality education reaches everyone. A division bench of Justices A S Chandurkar and Jitendra Jain made these observations while refusing to quash decisions taken by the Maharashtra government to grant permission to two organisations to set up educational institutions in Pune. The HC in its February 21 order said the court is not an expert in education policy matters and state government is the best authority to select the best and mere power to choose cannot be termed as arbitrary. "Pune is known as the 'Oxford of the East' for decades and it has attracted students not only from India but other countries as well. This has resulted in Pune being a hub of educational institutions," the HC noted. With the passage of time and due to growth of the city, there has been a huge growth and competition in sett

Maharashtra govt working towards doubling income of farmers: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said the state government has implemented various schemes for farmers aimed at doubling their income. Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of Balasaheb Thackeray Shetkari Training Centre in Washim, Shinde said the government has always stood behind agriculturists during drought, excess rain, and other issues. Notably, Washim is one of the districts in the Vidarbha region known as the country's largest cotton-growing belt. "The Mahayuti government was formed inspired by the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray. We have provided financial assistance totalling Rs 35,000 crore to farmers in the last 17 to 24 months," he said. In a first, the government has provided crop insurance to farmers by paying only Rs 1, said Shinde who became the chief minister in June 2022 after toppling the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. "The government has launched various schemes for farmers and aims at doubling their income," he added. The Shetkari Bhava

Mumbai EOW files C summary in bank scam case against Dy CM Ajit Pawar

The court will decide whether to accept the report or direct the agency to continue the investigation and file a charge sheet

Shah to visit Maharashtra on March 5, hold BJP's election meeting, rallies

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Akola, Jalgaon and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra on March 5 to take part in election-related meetings and programmes organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party, its state unit chief said on Saturday. Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held in April or May this year. Shah will chair a meeting of the BJP's election management committee and its core committee in Akola at 11 am on Tuesday to discuss the Lok Sabha constituencies of Chandrapur, Buldhana, Akola, Yavatmal, Wardha and Amravati, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said. After Akola, Shah will visit Jalgaon, where he will address the 'Maha Yuva Sammelan', a youth convention, at 2 pm, he said. The former BJP chief will then address a public rally in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar at 6 pm, he added. A day before Shah's visit, BJP president J P Nadda will address the youth at 'Namo Yuva Sammelan' in Nagpur on March 4, he said. "Around one lakh youth from Maharashtra

Maha govt against 'suppression' of quota agitation: Jarange to Marathas

Activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday expressed fear that he might be arrested and asked Marathas to stay calm and write emails to the prime minister and Maharashtra chief minister to stop "suppression" of the quota agitation. The activist has been under fire for using intemperate language against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday as he alleged the BJP leader was trying to kill him. Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar on Tuesday directed the state government to set up a special investigation team (SIT) and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the Jarange's remarks against Fadnavis. The activist earlier used abusive words while observing a fast against non-implementation of the "sage soyre" (blood relatives of Kunbi Marathas) draft notification by the state government. The notification was issued in January for issuing certificates to eligible Kunbi (OBC) Marathas. Jarange was speaking to reporters on Wednesday at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinaga

PM Modi to visit Yavatmal, inaugurate development projects at public event

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra's Yavatmal district on Wednesday and inaugurate and dedicate to the nation various development projects during a public programme, officials said. The programme will be held at Bhari on the outskirts of Yavatmal city around 4.30 pm, district officials said. The prime minister will release benefits under the PM KISAN and other schemes during the programme, a release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said. He will also inaugurate the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya in Yavatmal city. PM Modi will release the 16th instalment amount of more than Rs 21,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) through direct benefits transfer to beneficiaries. With this release, an amount of more than Rs 3 lakh crore will be transferred to more than 11 crore farmers' families. The PM will also disburse second and third instalments of 'Namo Shetkari MahaSanman Nidhi' of about Rs 3,800 crore and benefiting nearly 8

Maha company booked for giving Rs 1 cr fake bank guarantees to civic body

A case has been registered against a representative of a company in Maharashtra's Latur district for allegedly giving fake bank guarantees of more than Rs 1 crore to the Panvel Municipal Corporation for securing contracts of maintenance projects, police said on Tuesday. Between November 17, 2022 and February 26, 2024, the engineering company was awarded contracts for the maintenance, repair and renovation of all public toilets within the Panvel Municipal Corporation limits and for the repair and renovation of sewage pipelines in Kharghar area of Navi Mumbai, an official from Panvel town police station said. The contracts required the company to furnish bank guarantees of Rs 1,32,63,229. During verification by the civic body, the bank guarantees were found to be fake, the official said. Based on a complaint by the civic body's sanitation department chief, a case was registered on Monday against the company's representative under various Indian Penal Code sections for cheating and ...

Being in power important to get development works done, says Dy CM Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has said being in power is important to expedite the developmental works as an elected representative and he has taken a different political stand without compromising on his ideology. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Pawar, who switched over to the ruling NDA last year, in a letter to his supporters on Monday said his objective was never to betray anyone or hurt anyone's sentiments. He said he found his working style similar to that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, under whose leadership the country is making progress. "I have taken a different political stand without compromising on my ideology. I want to assure that henceforth the NCP under my leadership will work for implementing its development blueprint and not indulge in personal criticism of senior leaders," the deputy CM said without naming NCP founder and his uncle Sharad Pawar. "I have been on the ruling as well as the opposition side a

Budget session: Maha govt tables supplementary demands of Rs 8,609 cr

The Maharashtra government on Monday tabled supplementary demands of Rs 8,609 crore on the first day of the Budget session of the state assembly. State finance minister Ajit Pawar tabled the supplementary demands, which are additional funds sought by the government over the budgetary allocation, in the legislative assembly, followed by the council. "I table the supplementary demands of Rs 8,609.17 crore before the House," Pawar said. As per the supplementary demand note, demands of Rs 2,210 crore were for financial assistance to farmers whose crops were destroyed due to the unseasonal showers, hailstorms and water scarcity. During the winter session in December last year, supplementary demands of Rs 55,520.77 crore were tabled in the state legislature and eventually cleared.

Maratha stir: Internet services suspended in 3 districts of Maharashtra

Internet services were suspended on Monday in Maharashtra's Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Beed districts to maintain law and order in view of the Maratha quota agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange, officials said on Monday. As a precautionary measure, borders of these districts have also been sealed, they said. The internet services in the three districts have been suspended with effect from 6 am to 4 pm to avoid any untoward incident due to rumours on social media platforms, an official said quoting an order of the state home department. Three cases has been registered in Beed district for agitations without permission, another official said adding that two persons have been arrested for damaging a state transport bus. Earlier, curfew was imposed in Ambad taluka of Jalna district from Monday midnight to prevent any law and order issue in view of the ongoing agitation by Jarange. There is a possibility that quota supporters may arrive at Antarwali Sarati village in Amba

MVA leaders stage protest, accuse Maha govt of misleading Marathas, OBCs

Legislators of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi staged a protest on Monday before the start of the Budget session of the Maharashtra legislative assembly, accusing the government of misleading the Maratha and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities. The week-long Budget session of the legislature began on Monday, during which the vote on account will be presented. Assembly elections are due in the state later this year. Leader of Opposition in Assembly Vijay Waddetiwar, Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat and other legislators gathered on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan, displaying banners and shouting slogans against the Eknath Shinde-led government. The Opposition MLAs accused the state government of misleading the Maratha and OBC communities over the issue of quota. MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, while the ruling coalition has the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP group under Ajit Pawar as partners. Last week, the

Maha to roll out policy to boost defence manufacturing: Devendra Fadnavis

A new aerospace and defence policy will be formulated to provide a boost to defence manufacturing in Maharashtra, deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday. Speaking at the inauguration of 'MSME Defence Expo', a three-day event organized at Moshi in Pimpri Chinchwad near here, he said Pune has developed an ecosystem conducive for defence manufacturing in recent years. "Maharashtra is leading the country in defence manufacturing. We host the Air Force Maintenance Command, Army Southern Command, the Indian Navy Dockyard, Hindustan Aeronautics facility, Mazgaon Dockyard, National Defence Academy, and several DRDO laboratories," he said. BDL's missile production facility is coming up near Amravati, the deputy CM noted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi "recognized the country's real prowess", he said, adding that earlier India was dependent on other countries for defence equipment. "Today, countries like US, Russia, France and Germany are powerful because their defence ...