Page 6 - Maharashtra Government

Language row a distraction from core issues, says Prithviraj Chavan

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan has alleged that a controversy over the 'imposition' of Hindi language in Maharashtra was being created to divert people's attention from core issues and underlined the need to improve the quality of education. Claiming a drastic cut in the budgetary allocation for education, the former Maharashtra chief minister said the focus should be on providing quality education to students and strengthening infrastructure in the educational sector. "The budgetary allocation on education should be increased. The controversies over English and the imposition of Hindi are irrelevant and being created to divert focus from the core issues," Chavan told reporters in Kolhapur on Friday. The former Union minister claimed 41 per cent of posts of teachers in IITs are lying vacant in Maharashtra. "Similarly, 70 per cent of vacancies in agriculture universities are not filled," he said. The language row erupted after the state government last week issued an amend

Maharashtra transporters to go on strike from Jul 1 to protest e-challans

Maharashtra Minister Pratap Sarnaik has said the government is committed to addressing the grievances of transport operators, who have threatened to go on strike from July 1 to protest against the e-challan system for traffic violations. The minister on Thursday directed officials to form a committee and submit a report within one month concerning the transporters' strike threat. Transporters in Maharashtra, including private bus and truck operators, have called for an indefinite strike from July 1 to protest against the unjust collection of fines through e-challans and to press for their other demands. A release issued from the office of Sarnaik, who heads the transport ministry, said the government is determined to resolve the grievances of transport operators. Vahatukdar Bachao Kruti Samiti, an action committee of transporters, is not satisfied with the move, its leader Uday Barge told PTI. Transporters are firm on launching the strike on July 1 for demands like stopping the ..

Decision on 3-language formula only after talks with stakeholders: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said a final decision on the three-language formula will be taken only after consultations with all stakeholders, including litterateurs, language experts and political leaders. Fadnavis chaired a meeting at his official residence in south Mumbai late Monday night to deliberate on the issue. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, Minister of State Dr Pankaj Bhoyar and senior officials from the education department were present. The state government last week issued an amended order, stating Hindi will generally be taught as the third language to students in Marathi and English medium schools from Classes 1 to 5. The government had maintained that Hindi would not be compulsory, but mandated consent of at least 20 students per grade in a school for studying any Indian language other than Hindi. During the meeting chaired by CM Fadnavis on Monday, detailed discussions were held on the implications of

MSRTC's accumulated losses rise to ₹10,324 cr in FY24, reveals white paper

The state-owned transport corporation's accumulated losses surged to Rs 10,324 crore in FY 2023-24 from Rs 4,603 crore in 2018-19, as per the MSRTC's white paper

Govt sanctions ₹2.7 cr for relief to rain-hit people in Palghar district

The Maharashtra government as approved Rs 2.7 crore for immediate assistance to people who suffered damages due to unseasonal rains in Palghar district in the last two months, officials said on Sunday. The unseasonal weather events during April 4-6, May 6-7 and 23-25 resulted in widespread damage across the region. "A total of 38 houses were completely destroyed, while 3,852 homes suffered partial damage. Additionally, 10 huts and six cowsheds were damaged due to high winds and heavy rainfall," the district administration said in a release. In view of the extensive damage caused to houses, agriculture, fruit cultivation, fish products and livestock in Palghar during the unseasonal rains, district Guardian Minister Ganesh Naik raised the issue during a recent cabinet meeting and secured a sanction of Rs 2.70 crore for immediate relief efforts, it said. The approved amount was being disbursed to the affected families on a priority basis, the release said. "Many families were left ..

Maharashtra govt to curb illegal sand mining through drone-based surveys

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said drones will be deployed to survey minor mineral mining zones in the state as part of the government's efforts to curb illegal sand mining and quarrying. He said the government aims to complete a comprehensive measurement of all mining zones in the state over the next three months. To curb illegal excavation of sand and minor minerals, we have decided to carry out drone-based surveys of mining areas, Bawankule said on Thursday. The minister said that the data collected through the drone surveys will be submitted to the district collectors and uploaded to the Mahakhanij' portal, an integrated mining lease management system. The move is also expected to support artificial sand production projects by ensuring better monitoring and planning, he said. Conventional land surveys often have inaccuracies that hinder efforts to check illegal mining. Our pilot study using drones showed significant accuracy, prompting us to adopt t

Samruddhi Expressway corridor of Maharashtra's prosperity, says CM Fadnavis

Fadnavis announced that the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) has been given the right of way to lay a gas pipeline along the road from Konkan to Nagpur to Gadchiroli

Maharashtra to become $1 trillion economy by 2030, says CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said his government has charted out a multidimensional roadmap for the state's progress and it will become a USD 1 trillion economy by 2030. "Maharashtra is firmly on the path to becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2030," Fadnavis said while addressing the "India Investment Forum 2025" here. At the meet, the CM presented a comprehensive overview of Maharashtra's economic, industrial, social, and environmental strides. He highlighted that the state's economy has already crossed the half-trillion-dollar mark. An Economic Advisory Council (EAC), headed by Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran, in collaboration with 20 senior CEOs, has developed a robust roadmap covering infrastructure, industries, services, agriculture, and fintech sectors in Maharashtra, the CM noted. He announced that the "Viksit Maharashtra 2047" blueprint will be unveiled on October 2, featuring short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals. The Chief ...

Drive against plastic: Cloth bag machine to be installed at secretariat

The Maharashtra government is planning to set up a cloth bag vending machine at Mantralaya (state secretariat) here in its drive against single-use plastics ahead of the World Environment Day on Thursday, an official said. All departments at the secretariat have been asked to collect and deposit the single-use plastic items at their offices as part of the drive, he said. The state Environment and Climate Change Department is planning to install the cloth bag vending machine at the secretariat on Thursday as a demonstration for daily visitors, the official said. It issued an order on Tuesday, asking all the departments to deposit the single-use plastic items in their offices at the Trimurti location in the Mantralaya. The environment department has already installed cloth bag vending machines at prominent locations, including the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple in Pune and a temple at Parli Vaijanath in Beed district. These machines dispense eco-friendly cloth bags for R

Gujarat logs 108 new Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra confirms 86 infections

Gujarat and Maharashtra report a rise in Covid-19 cases linked to Omicron LF.7.9 and XFG sub-variants; officials advise caution but note symptoms remain mild

Maharashtra allows disciplinary notices via email, WhatsApp in digital push

The government permitted disciplinary notices to be sent via email and WhatsApp, alongside the existing registered post method

Maharashtra to give basic military training from Class 1: Minister

Basic military training will be imparted to students from Class 1 in Maharashtra in a move to instill a sense of patriotism, discipline and promote the habit of regular physical exercise, state School Education Minister Dada Bhuse has said. Retired soldiers will be roped in for training the pupils, he said. "A decision has been taken to give basic level military training to students from Class 1. This will help inculcate love for the country, encourage habits like doing physical exercise regularly and discipline that will benefit the students," Bhuse said. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has responded positively to the proposal, he noted. To implement the proposal, help of 2.5 lakh ex-servicemen will be taken along with sports teachers, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Scouts and Guides, the Shiv Sena minister added.

SC rejects plea against passenger jetty project at Gateway of India

The Supreme Court said the Bombay High Court is already hearing the matter and directed it to decide the case before the monsoon ends

Maharashtra unveils new EV policy aiming for 30% adoption by 2030

The new Electric Vehicle (EV) policy of the Maharashtra government seeks to achieve 30 per cent EV penetration in the state by 2030, officials said on Saturday. Among other things, the policy lays down that new residential buildings must provide EV charging facilities, and also offers incentives such as toll waiver for these eco-friendly vehicles. The transport department on Friday issued a government resolution announcing the new policy which will be in effect from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2030. It aims to make Maharashtra a leading hub for EVs in India through incentives, infrastructure expansion and manufacturing support, said an official release. By implementing this policy, the state wants to prevent 325 tonnes of PM 2.5 emissions and 1000 tonnes of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from the transport sector by 2030 as part of the Clean Mobility Transition Model, the GR said. The policy proposes incentives of up to Rs 2 lakh for electric four-wheelers used for transport and R

Chhagan Bhujbal's rise from OBC roots to Maharashtra cabinet again

The veteran NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal's return to power marks a strategic move amid OBC-Maratha tensions, caste census politics, and his own turbulent but enduring career in Maharashtra

CM Fadnavis expands ministry, NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal inducted

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday expanded his five month-old cabinet, with the induction of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal as a minister. Bhujbal, 77, was sworn in by Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan. Bhujbal, who has had a distinguished and eventful political career spanning several decades, was not included when Fadnavis first expanded his cabinet in December last year. At the time, his exclusion from the cabinet had drawn public disappointment from the seasoned leader, a prominent OBC face in the state. His inclusion in the cabinet follows the resignation of Dhananjay Munde, a fellow NCP heavyweight who stepped down as the food, civil supplies and consumer protection minister in March after the arrest of his close aide Walmik Karad in sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case.

NCP (SP) leader Patil seeks relief for farmers hit by unseasonal rain

Maharashtra NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil on Saturday expressed concern over farmers facing losses due to unseasonal rains and demanded immediate assistance for those affected. Patil said crops have been damaged due to unseasonal rainfall in several parts of the state, and the weather department has forecast more showers in the coming days. "The state is experiencing heavy unseasonal rainfall, with hailstorms reported in several regions. This has caused significant crop damage, and the meteorological department has predicted more rainfall in the coming days. I urge the government to provide immediate assistance to the affected farmers," he said in a statement. He cited a tragic incident in Manora, Washim district, where a farmer's produce was washed away in the downpour. Patil demanded that the government take swift action to provide relief and support to the affected farmers.

Maharashtra govt approves shipbuilding policy to develop maritime infra

The Maharashtra government has approved a shipbuilding policy to develop the state's maritime infrastructure and promote ship repair and recycling activities, an official said on Saturday. The Maharashtra Shipbuilding, Ship Repair, and Ship Recycling Facility Development Policy 2025 was approved in the last cabinet meeting, and a Government Resolution (GR) was issued on Friday, he said. The decision is expected to boost the shipbuilding, repair, and recycling industries and attract new projects. The move will also help the central government earn valuable foreign exchange. Recognising the significant importance of the maritime sector in driving economic and industrial growth, the state has identified the need to develop foundational infrastructure in this domain. While the government has the Maharashtra Maritime Development Policy 2023 to regulate and develop small ports along the state's coastline, the new policy now has provisions specifically for shipbuilding, repair, and ...

Maharashtra govt plans to bolster civil defence force amid staff shortage

With the spotlight on civil defence, a course will be introduced in the engineering college syllabus from the upcoming academic year, a senior Maharashtra government official said

All security precautions are in place in Maharashtra, says CM Fadnavis

The Maharashtra government has taken all security precautions, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday, against the backdrop of the widening conflict between India and Pakistan. Fadnavis spoke to reporters in Alandi village after taking darshan of Sant Dnyaneshwar. "Pakistan is a terrorist state. They have been supporting terrorism, but India won't stop. Under the leadership of PM Modi, our armed forces are giving a befitting response to Pakistan," he said. When asked about the heightened security measures in Maharashtra, Fadnavis said a review meeting was held in Mumbai on Friday. "All security precautions have been taken in the state in the wake of the current situation. Security information is provided to the district units, and resources are being made available," he said. Fadnavis on Friday said the police, Coast Guard and Navy are on alert mode in the state, and all SoPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are being followed. "Police, Navy and Coast Guard are on alert